Clare Helen McGrath

Clare was born January 8, 1938, to Edward Connelly and Kathleen Connelly (née Ward) in Glasgow, Scotland. Having trained as a registered nurse-midwife at Glasgow’s Victoria Infirmary, Clare came to San Diego in 1958 on a visit and fell in love with the city. A couple of years later she came back to work at Mercy Hospital and start a new life here. She soon met her eventual husband Paul McGrath (1931-1989). Clare and Paul married in 1963 and had seven children.

Clare was funny, loving, warm, caring, and kind to everyone she met. She loved listening to music, she loved a good book, she loved a good story, she loved a cup of coffee, she loved her friends, she loved a good party, she loved a cigarette and a glass of wine, but mostly she loved her family – and everyone was part of her family. She made everyone feel welcome and loved and encouraged her children to live the same way. She will be missed.

She also loved Scotland, mostly Glasgow, and County Donegal in Ireland. If you saw her over the past 12 month’s she was sure to ask you if you had ever visited and if you hadn’t, she was sure to encourage you to do so. Those places shaped who she was and stayed with her forever.

Clare is predeceased by her parents, her husband Paul, son Phillip (1969), brother William (1936-1984), and sister Marjorie (1942-2005). She is survived by her children, Jacque (Lou) Deblasio, Paul (Joan) McGrath, Patrick (Missy) McGrath, Michael (Gina) McGrath, Justin (Kelly) McGrath and Kathleen (Chuck) Oakey; her grandchildren Siobhan, Brendon, Grace, Caitlin, Paul, Chelsey, Patrick, Madison, Olivia, Colin, Maura, Aidan, Rhiannon and great-grandchildren Cora, Lorelei, Elowyn, Keegan, and Finn, and her sister Kathleen Hoverter, and many loving nieces and nephews.

A rosary and mass will be held in her memory at St. Therese Catholic Church at 6400 St. Therese Way, San Diego, CA 92120 on February 13th. Rosary to start at 10:30am with the funeral mass immediately following at 11am. A burial will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery at 1pm located at 4470 Hilltop Dr, San Diego, CA 92102.

Reception at The Oakey residence – 2005 Crossle Ct, El Cajon, CA 92019 - from 2-5. All are welcome.