Claire Blackledge Dauphin went to Heaven on July 27, 2020. We know she is celebrating her reunion with her beloved husband, Bill. She is also embracing her twin sister Audrey, her brother Lloyd, her sister Joan and her grandson Nicholas.
Claire was born in Berlin, Germany to Selma and Frank Blackledge, who was the financial officer for Vacuum Oil in Germany. From Berlin, the family moved to Egypt, where the story goes, the children roller skated in an Egyptian royal summer palace. They then settled in Baden, Austria outside Vienna. The five children enjoyed their years in Baden attending local schools and joining in the winter sport of competitive snow skiing. The family fled Austria not long after Hitler annexed its southern neighbor. Returning to the USA via Italy, they settled in Teaneck, NJ. Claire entered nursing school and upon graduation, joined the Navy, who promptly sent her to Corpus Christi. The Navy valued Claire’s fluency in German and set her up as a translator for German POWs that were being interviewed.
In Corpus Christi, she met and married Bill Dauphin who was a Naval navigator from Palestine, TX. After the war, Bill went to work in the oil industry and Claire continued in her nursing career. Their first child, David, was born in California, and daughters Melanie and Karen were born in Saskatchewan, Canada. The family moved to Houston in the mid 50’s where they were founding members of St. John’s Presbyterian Church. It is also where they both developed their life long love of golf as members of Braeburn Country Club. Claire was also a founding member of Sugarland Art League. She won more than one blue ribbon for her watercolors. Claire was an excellent cook, especially of fruit pies. But most of all, she was an amazing wife, mother and grandmother to Nicholas, Daniel, Alexandra, Tyler and Travis and as a great grandmother to Jonah, Aiden, Evelyn, Astrid, Dean, Hudson and Grayson. Claire will be missed by all who knew her. The family wishes to thank the staff at Buckner’s Parkway Place for the loving care Claire received. There will be a family graveside service at Forest Park Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to St. John’s Presbyterian Church 5020 West Bellfort Ave. Houston, TX 77035 or Gulf Coast Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation 50 Briar Hollow Ln. Suite 250E Houston, TX 77027
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.9.5