Claudine

Today I attended a memorial service for my friend Claudine. Claudine and I worked together back in the days of Clarica.

 

(photo credit: Nancy Pauser)

Just about 12 years ago at this time of year, Claudine and I began working on a project together as part of the Met Conversion Team. We would fly back and forth to Ottawa each week. Sometimes we were in the same limo heading to and from the airport. We usually stayed at the Delta Hotel in Ottawa. Although I do recall one time where we got booked in at the Novotel. We thought we could walk to work the next morning as usual. There was not a very direct route and we ended up walking through vacant lots and taking all these stairs up and around things. In heels and lugging laptops. Can you imagine? Not something we wanted to repeat! We hailed a taxi for the rest of the week after that. We worked long crazy days at the Met Life Building. This was the typical scene...

Check out that laptop. It's huge! 12 years will do that.

Claudine had two little boys at that time and they would have been around 4 and 6 years old. With my own little 6 year old, I can only now truly appreciate how hard it must have been on her to be away from them during the week. She loved her boys so much. I know that it goes without saying that every mother loves their children... but truly, they meant the world to her and she just loved them soooo much. Every week she would make sure that she came home with something special for them...even if all she had time for was to pick up something at the airport giftshops. She never went home emptyhanded... a fish mobile...little chocolate spiders...teddybears...

A year after we were finished with the travelling portion of the project, Claudine and I drove to Ottawa for the weekend. We were still working with the Met Life team in Ottawa and talking to them on a daily basis via tele-conferencing. But it wasn't the same as working in the same room and seeing everyone face to face. So we made some plans and hopped in my little black Civic. Drove the 4 hours and spent the weekend of shopping and visiting with Sue and Gwen. :-)

A few years passed. Both Claudine and I had left Clarica and were working elsewhere at different companies. But we still kept in touch.  We were supposed to get together for lunch the second week I was on maternity leave. But wouldn't you know it, Max decided to arrive early. I called her from my hospital room to let her know that I couldn't make lunch but that I had a very good reason. A few hours later there was a knock on my hospital room door. In true Claudine style she marched in with a big smile, lots of presents and open arms to hold the little Max Mouse! (I have to say that she would have made an incredibly awesome grandma!)

 

Claudine was a truly unique one-of-a-kind person. Everything she did, she did with passion and an energy that just didn't quit. Her chuckle and laugh was infectuous. She was like a whirlwind, constantly in motion. Her heart so big and caring. She laughed often and alot. Usually with tears streaming down her face when something was especially funny! She was French. Her husband was German. Listening to her talk about their wedding was hysterical. Because they had German guests and French guests and English guests they decided to be their own emcees. They translated everything in three languages all night long. You can only imagine! :-)

Claudine was diagnosed with cancer about 5 years ago. She fought it bravely and strongly, with everything that she had. On Monday at age 55, she passed away in an Ottawa hospital. She leaves behind her husband and two teenage sons. And alot of friends who were privileged to know her and will never forget her.