Clare Lopez

Clare Sullivan Lopez, age 64, of Houston, Texas, passed away on May 14, 2021, after a long fight with breast cancer. Born on April 16, 1957, Clare (no i) was the only child of Constance “Connie” Biossat and Robert W. Sullivan. Preceded in death by her parents, she is survived by her husband, Ted, and daughters, Lauren and Angela. She is also survived by her brothers- and sisters-in-law and many nieces and nephews.

Clare graduated from St. Agnes Academy in 1975 and The University of Texas at Austin in 1980, and began working at A&E Graphics Complex (later Thomas Printworks) in 1984, where she continued working until her passing. Clare’s many interests included serving as a eucharistic minister at church; baking and cooking, the fruits of which she always shared with her coworkers, family, and friends; doing crosswords and sudokus, which she taught to her daughters; and crafting, particularly sewing and quilting. She and a group of close friends met monthly to chat, eat something sweet she had baked, and try new crafting projects. One of Clare’s favorite traditions was to take a week’s vacation every year to go to the Houston Quilt Festival with her crafting group and be there from the moment the doors opened to closing time, taking hours of classes and coming home with countless new ideas.

Volleyball was also a constant fixture in Clare’s life – she loved to play and became a nationally-certified scorekeeper, working local collegiate matches and making many lifelong friends. Playing volleyball was also how she met the love of her life, Ted Lopez, whom she married in 1986. He taught her to love guacamole and spicy foods, and she taught him to love cats. Their twin daughters, Angela and Lauren, were born in 1992, and Clare’s volleyball friends snuck a six-pack of beer into her hospital room to celebrate. Over the years, her many mom duties included Girl Scout troop leader, college care package sender, and volleyball, basketball, and rugby cheerleader. Rumor has it that she was often ganged up on by Ted and the girls in their many jokes, although, as they constantly reminded her, she could have married Jeff.

Visitation will be held from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. on May 24, 2021, at Forest Park Westheimer Funeral Home, with a rosary at 6 p.m. A funeral mass will be held at Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Houston, Texas, at 11 a.m. on May 25, 2021, followed by committal at Forest Park Westheimer Cemetery at 1 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Clare’s name to either Corpus Christi Catholic Church or St. Agnes Academy.