Clare Alice Foote

Clare Alice Foote was born on February 18, 1928 and quietly passed away on August 7, 2024.

Clare was an amazing woman: wife, mother, teacher, traveler, Broncos fan, lover of the outdoors, and a good time party gal. She was predeceased by her former husband and best friend John Robert Foote Sr., her parents John Henry and Clara Schierbaum McHugh, her brother William, and her sister Lucille McHugh Barrett.
Clare and John raised four boys… John Jr. (Windsor, CT), wife Susan, son Brian (Chicago, IL) and his wife Erin Waser and Clare's great grandson Calvin (Chicago, IL), and daughter Margaret (Maggie) Foote (Seattle, WA) and her husband Nicholas Dempsey; Keith (currently exploring) and his sons Jeremy and his wife Grace Dyer, and Adam and his wife Yishu; Kevin (Grand Junction, CO) and his wife Sherry Lyke Foote, and Jeffrey (Ft. Collins, CO) and wife Robin Hoyt Foote, and daughters Jenifer Benner (Wellington, CO) and great granddaughters Susanna Lee and Jamison Sara, and daughter Sara Ricker-Steuben (Cedaredge, CO) and her husband Ian.
Clare was a graduate of Parker HS in Chicago, IL. Life's journey introduced her to the challenges faced by children with developmental delays which inspired her to become a special education teacher. She began her quest by taking college credit courses offered by the precursor of public television-the UHF Channel. Ultimately she received her bachelor's degree from Chicago State University and a Master's Degree from the University of Northern Colorado. She began her teaching career in the Chicago area.
After moving to Fort Collins, CO in 1970, she started and finished her career teaching Special Education in the Poudre R-1 School District. She was a fierce advocate for "Her Kids" making sure they received all the aid and resources they were due from the district, county and state. During her career she received several awards for excellence and her dedication to "Her Kids" and their parents.
She was an avid outdoors woman. Clare started camping when her own children were young and vacation money was scarce. She loved the Colorado Mountains and spent much of her free time hiking, backpacking, and snowshoeing. For years she worked every summer helping to hack out and repair the Colorado Trail.
Clare wasn't a stranger to foreign lands. She used her tax return money to finance her travels. One of her passports carries stamps from Mexico, Panama, Argentina, Chile, The Falkland Islands, Russia, England, Scotland, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, China, Nepal, Thailand, and Cambodia.
All of us who knew Clare are saddened by her passing, and all of us wish we could have enjoyed just half the adventures she experienced during her life. Hers was a life well lived.
Visitation hours will be 5-7pm at the Bohlender Funeral Chapel 121 W. Olive St., Ft. Collins, CO, 80524 on Thursday September 26. A celebration of Clare's life will take place at 11am on Saturday September 28 at Spirit of Joy Lutheran Church, 4501 S. Lemay Ave., Fort Collins, CO 80524. The burial will be private. In lieu of flowers please make a donation to The Colorado Trail Foundation--- www.coloradotrail.org/donate . Cards may be sent to Jeffery Foote, 785 W. County Rd. 66 Ft. Collins, CO 80524. There will be a separate burial in the Chicagoland area at a later date. Please visit bohlenderfuneralchapel.com and leave a remembrance on her page.