Clara M. Abrahamsen

November 23, 1914 to May 2, 2009

Clare was born at Lilla Farm, known to locals as The Home Place at Doe Bay, on Orcas Island. She was the daughter of immigrant parents, Hans Martin Abrahamsen of Larvik, Norway and Clara Matilida “Millie” Erickson of Lilla Stene near Stockholm, Sweden.

Clare was the fourth of four children and little sister to brothers Harry, Al and sis Helen Abrahamsen Goithan (known as Aiya). As a child, Clare and Aiya hauled milk to the dock at Doe Bay, walked to the Olga School, swam at Doe Bay their favorite swimming hole, fished and roamed the beaches and picnicked. Clare picked strawberries and sorted plants at the Rodenberger Strawberry Packing Plant in Olga and worked as a housekeeper in various island resorts.

Clare called herself The Barnacle, because she’d been stuck on the rock nearly all her life and loved it that way! She loved The Home Place, her family and friends, and growing corn with Joe. One of two

original telephone operators for the island, Clare set up the system for island telephone numbers. Her switchboard is on display at the Orcas Island Historical Museum in Eastsound. Also on display is a

wedding gift her mother had received and brought to the island, a hanging kerosene lantern hand-painted with pink roses.

Clare loved to dance. That was especially so when the CCC boys were on-island during the Great Depression to work at Moran State Park. She served as spotter for aircraft during World War II and retired from Orcas Power and Light after many years of service. Of all her jobs, Clare’s favorite was a fish slime at the Salmon Cannery at Deer Harbor.

Two favorite Christmas landmarks for Eastenders were gifts to the community from Clare: the decorated trees on the old cedar stump on the hill to Olga Flats and the one at Clare’s Corner, Doe Bay. In her memory they will continue to be decorated for years.

Donations in Clare’s memory can be made to The Abrahamsen Family Scholarship Fund, Orcas Island Lions Club Foundation, P.O. Box 1212, Eastsound, WA 98245.

Submitted by the Abrahamsen family.