Claire Elise Brodeur, cherished wife, mother, and friend, passed away April 23, 2022 at her home in Peyton, CO. She died with her family at her side providing comfort after a two-year battle with Glioblastoma.
Claire was born Claire Elise Blaylock on April 11, 1957 at St. Francis Hospital in Colorado Springs before being adopted by loving parents, James (Mac) and Evelyn Blaylock. After graduating from Coronado High School in 1975, Claire attended Ottawa University in Kansas followed by five years teaching in Buena Vista, CO. She moved back to Colorado Springs to start a family with her first husband, Dan Goggin, and they went on to have two children, Elise and Paul Goggin. In 1994, Claire married Roland Brodeur, and they celebrated an impressive 27 years of marriage last June. She continued to work as an elementary teacher in Fountain Fort Carson School District 8 and Colorado Springs School Districts 11 & 20 before retiring in 2008 to spend more time pursuing her hobbies and passions.
Claire enjoyed the outdoors and was a President and active member of the Good Luck Sam’s camping club, where she and Roland made many close friends. Her sparkling personality won her the honor of being VIP Host for Colorado Good Sam Rallies, and she could regularly be found smiling and socializing with El Paso County Fair attendees while working the Fairgrounds Beer Garden with her fellow members to raise money for various charities. Aside from camping, Claire loved travelling in general, as evidenced by one of her favorite T-Shirts: “EAT, SLEEP, TRAVEL, REPEAT”.
Anyone who knew Claire knew of her zeal for all things creative. She was always on the hunt for new artistic mediums and gadgets to experiment with, and spent many an afternoon at the local Cottonwood Center for the Arts. She was best known for designing beautiful homemade cards for nearly every holiday to send to her lucky family and friends. Her artistic abilities were especially appreciated by her lifelong Colorado Springs First Baptist Church family, as she frequently provided the imaginative inspiration for the Vacation Bible School theme.
In addition to those creative outlets, Claire loved music and had a beautiful voice, always singing along with her favorite country songs and oldies. Even when the disease got the best of her communication abilities, her family took solace in throwing on one of her tunes and hearing her flawlessly sing every word. If there’s music in heaven, there’s no doubt Claire is joining in the chorus with those feet tap-tap-tapping away to the beat.
Claire is preceded in death by her parents, Mac and Evelyn, and her brother, James Bradley Blaylock. She is survived by Roland, Elise, and Paul; two step-children, Jesse and April Brodeur; three nieces, Heather Nguyen, Jennifer Blaylock-Underwood, and Jolene Blaylock; as well as a variety of extended family, both adopted and by birth. As a child of adoption, Claire spent many years trying to locate her birth family, and it was an immense joy of hers to finally connect with them in recent years.
The funeral service will be held on Friday, May 13th at 11AM at First Baptist Church, 317 E. Kiowa St, Colorado Springs, CO 80903.
To watch Claire's service online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJrGjO2hVnY
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Claire’s honor to the Glioblastoma Foundation. https://glioblastomafoundation.org/get-involved/donate
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