Claire L Persson

Claire L. (Gendron) Persson, 84, of Shrewsbury, passed away in her home on Thursday, August 30, 2012. Her loving husband, Karl E. Persson, pre-deceased her in 1996. Claire is survived by her loving family, including two daughters, Karen A. Carpenter and her husband Richard of Charlton and Jean L. DeSantis and her husband Ronald of Oxford; three grandchildren, Lisa J. Harteveldt and her husband Andrew of Cambridge, Erika B. Gervais and her husband Colin of Watertown and Ashley J. Carpenter of Shrewsbury; five great grandchildren, Symantha, Sophie, Jadyn, Rhys and Kobe; nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by a brother and sister, Robert Gendron and Irene Westfall. She was born in Worcester, daughter of Armand and Loretta (Gendreau) Gendron and graduated from Ascension High School. She resided in Shrewsbury for many years, before moving to North Eastham, on Cape Cod and then to Clearwater, Florida, returning to Shrewsbury in 2005. Claire had strong ties to Shrewsbury, not only through family but through the town itself, for she was the Shrewsbury Town Accountant for many years, before retiring in 1986. It was during her time working for the town that she got involved with and The State Retirement Board, and ultimately became the boards President. She also served the Town of Eastham by serving on the Finance Committee and the Eastham Painters Guild. She had been a member of the Order of Eastern Star and a past member of Mount Olivet Lutheran Church in Shrewsbury. Calling hours for Claire will be held Wednesday morning, September 5, from 9:30 a.m. until 11 a.m., followed by a Service at 11 a.m. in MERCADANTE FUNERAL HOME & CHAPEL, 370 Plantation Street, Worcester. Interment will follow in Worcester County Memorial Park, Paxton. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to the Shrewsbury Public Library, Children's Room, 609 Main Street, Shrewsbury, MA 01545.