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Claire Orlean Cossairt Godwin |
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October 9, 1925 ~ November 25, 2017 |
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November 28, 2017 |
Claire Orlean Cossairt Godwin, 92, passed away
peacefully on Saturday November 25, 2017 at
Hearthstone Village in Kootenai, Idaho,
surrounded by the caring people of the facility
and Hospice. According to her wishes, no
services are being planned, but a date for a
celebration of her life will be decided at a
later time.
Claire was born on October 9, 1925, the first of
eight children born to Cecil and Carol Aldridge
Cossairt, Naples, Idaho.
She attended the local schools and graduated
from Bonners Ferry High School during war time,
when she would later comment that “there was a
shortage of boys, since they were all off to
war.” She went on to attend Northwestern
Business College in Spokane to complete a
secretarial degree, and then found employment at
the offices of Ken Bush, Inc. in Spokane.
Claire met the love of her life, James Carl
Godwin, at a USO dance in Spokane, and they were
married a few short months later on July 20,
1947, in an outdoor wedding at the home of
Mildred and Hollice Aldridge in Bonners Ferry.
They would later add two daughters to their
family, Anne Godwin Regehr and Carol Godwin
Hughes. Life was good with many family car trips
and fun camping adventures at Cocolalla Lake.
Claire enjoyed her life as homemaker and as an
employee at the Boundary County Assessor’s
office and also the Auditor’s office. Later she
joined Truesdell Insurance Agency and worked
alongside good friends Rhona Nieland and Warren
Truesdell.
In the late ‘60s, Jim and Claire purchased the
downtown Bonners Ferry Texaco station, which
they owned for 10 years, with Claire doing the
bookkeeping for both the station and the bulk
plant. During this time, she “doubled” as
bookkeeper/babysitter for daughter Anne’s
children. She was always there when she was
needed and took great pride and joy in her
grandkids.
Claire was very involved in many community
activities, from volunteering as Girl Scout and
4-H Leader, to serving as president of Chapter
AP PEO and Beta Sigma Phi. She worked with the
Hospital Auxiliary and American Cancer Society
for many years.
She also enjoyed many hours on the golf course,
playing bridge, voraciously reading library
books, doing crossword puzzles, gardening,
canning and baking. But most of all, she loved
being a grandmother to her five grandkids, Lisa
Regehr Dirks and Brandon Regehr, Bonners Ferry,
Amy Regehr, Burlington, Washington, and Jared
Wilson and Amanda Wilson Jordan, Arizona. They
all have many wonderful memories spent at her
house, entertaining them with walks, games and
goodies from her kitchen and garden.
Her upbeat, always happy attitude will be what
people remember most about Claire. Her favorite
saying was, “If you don’t have anything nice to
say, don’t say anything at all.”
Our loving and caring Mama will be greatly
missed. |
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