ARUNDEL – Claire C. Jean, 73, passed away from glioblastoma on Nov. 7, 2020 while surrounded by her family. Claire was born on March 22, 1947 to Robert L. Chenard and Claudine (Dubuque) Chenard.

She was educated in Biddeford, York, and Kennebunk schools, and she was a 1965 graduate of Kennebunk High School. After high school, Claire worked as a keypunch operator at West Point Pepperell.

She married Raymond Jean on a hot and humid day, Sept. 4, 1971, at St. Mary’s Church in Biddeford. They had two children. While raising their daughters, Claire babysat some of the neighborhood children. When her children were older, she became an educational technician at St. Andre’s School in Biddeford and then Biddeford Primary School until her retirement.

As a child, Claire developed a love for animals. She often talked joyfully about the cats, dogs, cows, and pigs she had while growing up. Her love for animals was lifelong. She had several cats and a couple of guinea pigs while raising her own children. Once her children became parents, Claire would happily pet sit her granddaughters’ fish, cats, and guinea pig. Claire also sponsored a cat cage at the Animal Welfare Society for many years.

Claire’s favorite hobbies were baking and scrapbooking. Everyone loved her cookies, cakes, and especially her homemade whoopie pies. Claire enjoyed documenting her family history through her scrapbooks, and her family will always treasure these family heirlooms she created.

Claire’s family meant the world to her as she did to them. She was a loving wife and a nurturing mother and grandmother. Every summer, she had a list of outings she wanted to experience with her family: amusement parks, water parks, the beach, a theatre performance, the trolley museum, ice cream, and she even sat through all nine innings of a Sea Dogs game every summer just to enjoy time with her family. She wrote to her granddaughters twice a month and included stickers and a little spending money with each card.

Preceding Claire in death were her parents; twin baby brothers, Henry and Louis; and her stepmother, Leona Fulton.

She is survived by her husband of 49 years, Raymond Jean of Arundel; two daughters, Janet Parker of Brunswick and Patty Ekster and her husband Mike of Gray; two granddaughters, Kate Parker and Emily Ekster; and many aunts, uncles, cousins, stepsisters, stepbrothers, nieces, nephews, and friends.

Claire’s family would like to thank her nurses and therapists at New England Rehab and Kindred Home Care for helping her maintain her level of functioning and quality of life, as well as Compassus Home Hospice for helping to keep her comfortable and maintain dignity during her final weeks. Claire’s family would also like to thank family and friends who sent cards, flowers, prayers, brought meals and sweet snacks, and who helped to keep Claire at home during her illness.

Visiting hours will be on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2020 from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m., and from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Bibber Memorial Chapel, 67 Summer St., Kennebunk. Please follow COVID guidelines of masks and distancing. A funeral Mass and burial will be private. A Celebration of Life for Claire will take place at a later date when it is safe to gather again.

To share a memory or leave a message of condolence, please visit Claire’s Book of Memories Page at http://www.bibberfuneral.com

Arrangements are in care of Bibber Memorial Chapel, 67 Summer St., Kennebunk, ME 04043.