Clairlee Hawn-Hirsch

She lived life to the fullest in constant motion from playing bridge, aquacise, fantasy football, and her evening glass of wine by the pool as she recapped her stock market, NFL plays of the day, or read a good book.

She was born in Cape Girardeau, MO on May, 30, 1930 to Stanley R. Stage and Naomi Stage (nee: Tinsley) as the country was experiencing the challenging times of the 1930s. When she was twelve years old, Lee traveled by herself on a train to Chicago to visit her grandmother in the company of a lot of good-hearted soldiers looking out for her. This experience began her love for travel, which she carried with her the rest of her life.

She earned her way through college as a telephone operator with a degree in Education and became a teacher 100 miles away from her family in a poor community. This ingrained in her a lifelong profession of interest in helping children, and she continued her education to a Doctorate degree in Education Psychology at the University of Illinois (Carbondale) while working in Cape Girardeau as a public-school counselor. She ended her 39+ year career as a School/Clinical Psychologist in Spring, Texas.

In 1983, Lee became re-acquainted with Robert “Bob” Hirsch at a friend’s wedding in Cape Girardeau. Thereafter, Bob wore out a Cadillac driving from Cape Girardeau to Texas to court her. They were married on May 28, 1985, and Bob was the joy and love of her life for 33 years. They were both active well into their late 80s, playing tennis, golf, bridge, snow skiing, and swimming in their beloved Aruba, Beaver Creek, Kentucky Lake, and Sedona or just traveling the world.

Lee was preceded in death by her brother, Charles (Buddy), and by Bob Hirsch, and is survived by her three children: William C. Hawn (Martha), Catherine L. Hawn (Jack), James S. Hawn (Jan) and Bob’s children: Lucille Hirsch (Melvin), and Ellen Mantia (William).

She was a very special grandmother (her very favorite nickname was “Gram”) to Jonathan Hunnicutt (Adrienne), Emily Baize (Micah), Wils Hawn, Catherine M. Hawn (Spencer), Charles Hawn, Julia Jarriel (Scott), James S. Hawn II, Megan Mantia, Jessica Mantia (Alexis), Dane Mantia, Diana Sadler and Melinda Mueller (Erich) and great-grandmother of Joshua, Anya, Isaac, Sophia, Grace, and Elijah.

A memorial celebration of Lee’s life will be scheduled for a later date.

If you are so inclined, the family requests that you make a memorial donation to the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center (www.mdanderson.org), as Lee was a 3-time cancer survivor, or to the charity of your choice.