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Clara Violet Halstead passed away Thursday, Nov. 8, 2012. She would have been 91 on March 4, 2013. She was the second daughter of LaVerne and Ethel Halstead. She was the last remaining child. Her two sisters and brother, as well as her parents, all preceded her in death. Her sisters and brother were Ellen Kulback, Bernice Cripps, and LaVerne Halstead, known as Bud.Clara was a devout Catholic and active in her parish church, St. Aloysius Catholic Church in Fife Lake, MI, where she lived for all her retirement. She and Ellen lived in a converted barn on Boyd Street for many years. When Ellen died, Clara sold the barn and moved into a small home on Anthony St.Clara grew up in Groveland Township near Ortonville, Michigan. When she was a teenager, she went to work for a local family, the Swanebecks, who became a second family to Clara and the family who taught her to love the Catholic Church. When she turned 21, she decided to become a nun and she moved to Baltimore and became a novice at a convent and hospital there. She was trained to take care of newborns in the hospital.Her mother, however, was unhappy that she was becoming a nun and Clara did not take her vows. Instead she returned to Michigan, lived with her sister Ellen for a while and became a nurse in a hospital, always working in the nursery taking care of the babies. She never married.She is survived by her sister-in-law, Joyce Halstead who was married to Bud, and seven nieces and nephews: Jerry Cripps of Rockville, MD, Nancy Mossman of Austin, TX. Cheryl Palin of Anchorville, MI, Diana Belisle of Wyoming, MI, Reed Cripps of Bryant, AR, Tim Cripps of Hatfield, PA, and Daniel Halstead of Leesburg, FL.Whether Clara loved the church or flowers more is not clear. A gift to the church in her memory or flowers would please her. Clara’s family did not live close. But, she had many good friends and neighbors who watched over her and took care of her. We are very grateful especially to Lisa Carr and Marti Krol for their love and care.The funeral will be at 11 a.m. with lunch to follow at St. Aloysius Catholic Church, 403 E. Merritt Street, Fife Lake, MI 79633. The viewing, from 5 to 7 p.m. followed by the rosary will be at Wolfe-O’Neill Funeral Home, 106 South Cherry St., Kalkaska, MI 49646.Arrangements were made by Wolfe-O'Neill Funeral Home, our family serving yours.

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Clara V. Halstead

March 4, 1922 - November 8, 2012