Obituary: Claire Stary, 1927-2019

Claire Stary, 92, of Camp Verde, Arizona died peacefully in her home on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2019.

She was born on March 16, 1927 in Haverhill, Mass. to Ovide Poulin and Alice Bouvier Poulin.

Claire deeply loved her family and instilled in her children and grandchildren strong values that have served them well. She lived a full life as a wonderful mother, homemaker and nurse.

Claire loved being outdoors, camping with family and friends, hunting and playing cards and other games with an intensity rarely matched by her opponents.

She was a wonderful gourmet cook, especially when preparing game meats and other exotic dishes.

Her adventurous spirit led her to join the Nursing Corps at the age of 17, leading her to Belcourt, North Dakota where she met and married her first husband, Walter Bercier. Together, they struck out for California.

After his death in 1956 she continued to live in California until she met and married her second husband, Jack Stary, and relocated to Arizona where they lived for the last 46 years, first in Flagstaff and most recently in Camp Verde.

Claire will be dearly missed and forever in our hearts. She is preceded in death by her husbands; her parents; her brothers, Maurice Poulin and Charles Poulin; and her sister, Rachel Huberdeau.

She is survived by her children, Debbie Gallagher and Walter Bercier; her grandchildren, Kerry Milazzo, Robert Granger, Shawna Brownell, Cristen Bercier, Elizabeth Robinson, and Charles Bercier; great-grandchildren, Garion, Emma, Caleb, Mehkiya, Aria Damon, Wesley and Hershel.

Services will be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2019 at St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Church, 781 Cliffs Parkway, Camp Verde, Ariz., 86322.

Condolences may be conveyed at buelerfuneralhome.com.

Information provided by survivors.