Claire Mowbray

Holderness, NH Clare (Mejido) Mowbray, 68, passed away after a four year battle with multiple myeloma on Aug. 3, the day after her 40th wedding anniversary. Born in 1944 in NYC in the middle of a blizzard, her life was one adventure after another. She graduated from Marymount College in NY, then went on to earn a master's in counseling from the Univ. of VA. With diploma in hand, she headed west to California, then British Columbia, where she met her wonderful husband Larry and where her delightful son David was born. Photography had always been her passion, so they moved to Albuquerque where she studied with some of the world's best photographers and earned a BFA in photography. Then they moved to NH where she worked as a guidance counselor in the Manchester school district. The tropics had always called her, so in the mid- 1980's she started travelling all over the Caribbean, snorkeling and taking amazing underwater photographs. In 1997 they bought a restored Episcopal church in Holderness. In 2004, she and Larry bought a house on the small island of Vieques, Puerto Rico. Her love and passion for the underwater life inspired everyone who met her. While on shore, she worked tirelessly for the dogs of the island, adopting several over the years. In 2010 she discovered the magic of water lilies under White Oak Pond in Holderness. Clare published these images in her magical book, Under White Oak Pond, which she completed just two months before her passing. She is survived by her husband Larry, son David, his wife Rachel, cousins Judy Reichert of Whitestone NY and Norris McCaughey of Lincoln RI and her 5 rescue dogs. A memorial service will be held at the Plymouth Congregational Church August 10, at 11 am. In lieu of flowers her family requests that contributions be sent to the Vieques Humane Society and Animal Rescue, PO Box 1399, Vieques, Puerto Rico, 00765. Paquette-Neun Funeral Home in Northfield ( www.neunfuneralhomes.com ) is assisting with arrangements.