Claire Houser Honkanen
Claire Houser Honkanen, 93, died on Monday, November 9, 2015.
She is survived by her caregiver and beloved husband of 66 years, Arvid Honkanen of Signal Mountain, daughter, Karen (Sam) Elliott, and her cherished grandchildren, Mary Claire Elliott of Chattanooga, and Sarah Anne Elliott of Birmingham, a sister, Rosella Schaab of Fort Wayne, In., and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by three sons, James Allan Honkanen, Kenneth Charles Honkanen and Richard Lee Honkanen, her parents, Charles and Clara Houser, her brothers, Lawrence Houser, Earl Houser, Bernard Houser and her sisters, Margaret Houser and Agnes Gray.
Claire was born in Fort Wayne on Sept. 10, 1922. When she seven years old her father helped her plant her first garden and that led to a lifetime passion for flowers and gardening.
She loved learning and excelled in Latin. She earned an associate degree from Indiana University, Fort Wayne and worked as a medical secretary and managed an office for orthopedic surgeons until she married in 1949.
Married life took her all over the country and was always active in her church and community. She loved world travel and made visits to England, Italy and Japan where she toured many gardens and studied Japanese floral design.
She also loved encouraging others to pursue the therapeutic aspects of gardening and worked tirelessly as a volunteer with patients who had mental challenges in Spartanburg, SC, where she lived for many years.
For almost 20 years she served as a trustee of the American Iris Foundation, which fosters and encourages education and scientific research to improve the standards of excellence of the genus iris and stimulates general interest in all species of iris. She also served several years as a district regional vice president for the American Iris Society. Claire was a National Master Iris Judge, Master Flower Show Judge, a member of the National Council of Flower Show Judges and Emeritus Judge of Designers Study Club in Atlanta. She judged flower shows throughout the Southeast and iris shows nationwide, Australia, and England.
She founded the Southeast Tennessee Iris Society after she moved to Signal Mountain in 2004. In 2013 the group dedicated an iris bed in her honor at The Mountain Arts Community Center.
Her faith was paramount to Claire and sustained her through the loss of three children. Often she was called as a speaker to support groups for parents who had lost a child. She worked with a local oncologist and psychologist to establish a chapter of Candlelighters in Spartanburg to help families who had lost children to cancer. For many years she volunteered with Hospice of Charleston, SC until she moved to Signal Mountain at age 82.
The family wishes to thank Dr. Lisa Talbert, all her caregivers particularly Connie Wooten, and the staff of the eighth floor West of Alexian Health Care.
A Funeral Mass will be held on Dec. 3, at 11 a.m. at Our Lady of Good Hope Catholic Church in Fort Wayne, In., with burial to immediately follow at Catholic Cemetery. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Alexian Village Health Care Education Fund or Alexian Employees College Fund, 437 Alexian Way, Signal Mountain, Tn. 37377 and Hospice of Chattanooga Foundation, P.O. Box 46, Chattanooga, Tn. 37401.
Arrangements are by Lane Funeral Home, 601 Ashland Terrace, 877-3524.
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