Claire J Lajoie

Obituary for Claire J Lajoie
Claire J. (Dion) Lajoie, age 79, courageously lost her eight year battle with leukemia on Saturday, April 9, 2016 in Port Orange, Florida.
Claire was born in Gardner, Massachusetts on November 25, 1936, the daughter of the late Origene and Mary Rose (Desmarais) Dion.
She lovingly leaves her husband of 61 years, Paul G. Lajoie; and children, sons Peter Lajoie and his wife Valarie of Shrewsbury, VT and Timothy Lajoie and his wife Susan of Templeton, MA; her sister, Connie Amato of Gardner, MA; sisters-in-law, Eleanor Goodwin of Dunwoody,GA, Linda Long of Natick, MA; her three grandchildren, Rebecca Maikels and her husband Chris of Newburyport, MA, Colin Lajoie of Jacksonville, FL and Jared Lajoie of Templeton, MA; twin great-grandchildren, Elliot and Macey Maikels; two Godchildren Cheryl Amato of Malden and Desiree Fix of Rochester, NY; and several nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her daughter Kathryn in 1983, who was survived by a son John Paul. She was also predeceased by her brother Robert Dion, who died in 1988.
A graduate of Gardner High School Class of 1954, Claire enjoyed a long career as an Early Childhood Education teacher. Starting with Head Start in Gardner, then after receiving her Degree from Fitchburg State in Early Childhood Education, she continued her long time teaching career in the Winchendon school system as a first grade teacher until retirement. She was loved by everyone she met and will be greatly missed.
Funeral Services will be held Friday, May 13th at 11:00 a.m. in Annunciation Parish/Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Church, 135 Nichols Street, Gardner. Burial will be in St. John’s Cemetery, Gardner.
There are no calling hours.
Memorial contributions may be made to The Jimmy Fund, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, in memory of Claire J. Lajoie to support cancer research and patient care at the Jimmy Fund, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, PO Box 849168, Boston, MA 02284 or via www.jimmyfund.org/gift.