Obituary of Clairanne Harrison

HARRISON: Clairanne Margaret, B.A., M.Div - Died April 25, 2019, Clairanne Margaret HARRISON (nee CASE) at 86, beloved life partner of James Robert Waller Harrison after 5 years as a resident of Riverview Gardens in Chatham.

Predeceased by her parents Donald and Helen Case (nee Corbett), her brothers Charles and Patrick Case and survived by a brother, John C. Case of Morpeth, and sisters Clairinne Audrey (Mrs. J. Williams) of High River Alta and Ila Dulcie (Mrs. Wayne Campbell) of Petrolia, ON. All five children of her marriage also surviving - John Scott Waller Harrison (and wife Wendy) of Ottawa, ON, Joanne Leslie (Mrs. Curtis Buell) of Winnipeg MAN, Robert Stephen Harrison of Fort St. James BC, Pamela Eileen Lord (Mrs. Lloyd Lord) of Winnipeg MAN, and Evelyn Kim Harrison of Lethbridge ALTA and, of course an accumulation of 8 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.

Married at 18 to her soldier husband, Clairanne evolved into an ideal military wife, bore five healthy children and followed, without complaint, her husband throughout his military career. When they retired back to Chatham her address book indicated 21 addresses since her marriage. She has made homes in Ontario (multiple), the Yukon, Alberta, Nova Scotia, London UK, and Lahr Germany. A Stay-at-home Mom until the last child was in school she trained and became a computer programmer, a profession she worked at in London UK, Ottawa, Calgary and Halifax thereby keeping her husband in tailor-made cigarettes. An accomplished driver she enjoyed club-level car rallying and particularly competing on equal terms with male drivers. As a seamstress she made several wedding dresses for brides while in the Yukon, and became a master knitter, a skill she taught as well as tatting and, in retirement was a regular contributor of bonnets/helmets for newborns here in Chatham.

Upon retirement she opted to gain the education she had missed by early marriage, earning a Bachelor's Degree (English) at University of Windsor and following up with a Masters Degree in Religious Studies at the University of Western Ontario (after her 65th birthday). Her travels included most of the capitols of Europe (including East Berlin, Budapest, both solo), the Greek Islands, the Canary Islands, Hong Kong, Macau, Thailand, a knitters tour in the Hebredies including the isle of Skye and a solo drive (in her very own MGB) from John o' Groats to Land's End.

My lady-wife lived a full life and left it I am sure with few regrets having finally succumbed to Alzheimers (the kindest disease for the elderly) with no memory of any unpleasantness that her long life may have included. While a confirmed Anglican she expressly demanded no funeral, no service, no marker, and her ashes to be distributed along some quiet country road such as those she had so enjoyed driving. Her wish is that her family and friends remember her as she was in health. Sobeit!

McKinlay Funeral Home, 459 St. Clair Street, Chatham, 519-351-2040