December 3, 1939 – July 27, 2015
God needed another angel to help him make this world a better place. He couldn’t have chosen one so perfect.
Mom passed away peacefully, with her daughter Heather, granddaughter Jessica and her pug Rebel by her side on July 27, 2015, in Burns Lake, B.C.
She will be greatly missed by many people. The beloved wife of Ken Rosen, loving mother of: Debbi (Dennis) Boylan of Victoria, B.C.; Danny Hill of Edmonton, AB.; Lynn (Claudio) Tulliani of Merritt, B.C.; Lorelei (David) Demarell of Castlegar, B.C.; Art Rosen of Edmonton, AB.; Leonard (Alanna) Rosen of Merritt, B.C.; Heather (Jeff) Paulson of Burns Lake, B.C.; grandmother of 20 and great grandmother of 15, sister to Patsy (Wally) Hickey of Nova Scotia, aunt to many nieces and nephews; and friend to many. She was predeceased by son Phillip in 1982, mother Irene, sister Dollena, and grandson Kenneth.
A true pet lover, Mom will be missed by her pugs Rebel, Sweet Pea, Blaze and Angel.
Born in Pleasant Bay Inverness County, Nova Scotia, on Dec. 3, 1939, Claire Ann Hinkley grew up in Nova Scotia where her mom Irene raised her and her two sisters, Dollena and Patsy after her father Daniel Richard passed away in Wold War II.
Mom was named after her father’s friend in the army, a man named Claire.
Married at a young age to her first husband Kenny Hill in Nova Scotia, she had her first three kids, Debbi, Danny and Phillip.
Escaping from a bad situation, she answered an ad that her future husband to be, Ken Rosen, had placed for a homemaker and nanny for his four kids as he was a single parent as well.
Mom moved to Barriere in 1967. Moved to their farm in Darfield in 1969, and soon after she and Ken fell in love and were married in 1970.
In 1972 they brought their youngest, Heather, into their world, hoping to bring their two families together; and they also built their first real home on the farm in Darfield.
Mom kept herself busy raising kids, cattle and keeping the farm running; haying, changing sprinklers, milking cows – working harder than most men. When the kids were all grown she decided to go back to school and took horticulture at TRU. She loved school and excelled at it. After that she became a home support worker. She was wonderful at this as she was a natural caregiver. From there she became a nanny to multiple kids, traveling to the Kootenays to look after her granddaughter and other’ people’s kids.
Her loves were her pugs, her family and friends, growing her garden, farming, being a horticulture student, her quilting guild in Kamloops and Barriere was very important to her, and especially making cancer comfort quilts with her Barriere Quilting guild and for family, home support work, nanny (babysitter), reading, eating chocolate and chips while chatting on the phone with friends and loved ones, popcorn nights with Jackleen, and early morning coffees with family by phone.
A funeral service for Claire will be held on Sunday, Aug. 2, 2015, at 10 a.m. at the North Thompson Agriplex banquet hall in Barriere, B.C., 4856 Dunn Lake Road. Tea to follow as well as graveside service at the Darfield Community Cemetery at noon.
Donations to the Canadian Cancer Society in lieu of flowers would be appreciated in mom’s name. Officiating; Pastor John Peter Mosigan 250-672-9911.
Arrangements entrusted to North Thompson Funeral Services, Barriere and Clearwater, B.C., 250-672-1999. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.NTFuneral.com.