Clare Margaret Boggan passed away peacefully on January 5th, 2012. She was constantly surrounded by her loving parents Stephanie and Kevin, her nan Stella, her brother Caley and sister-in-law Caroline, all of her devoted family and friends, and the thoughts of everyone who's life she touched. Clare lived with hope and courage throughout, her smile was easy, beautiful and bright, and she is now at peace.

There will be a memorial service for Clare on Friday, January 13th 2012, at 1pm. It will take place at the Unitarian Church of Vancouver, 949 West 49th Ave.

Clare was born April 12th, 1980, and grew up in Vancouver. She was clever and talented, playing sports and swimming, and from the very start creating never-ending friendships: she met a best friend in Cassie just before their first day of Kindergarten. Clare began playing the cello, then the tenor saxophone in elementary school at Chief Maquinna. After a very basic introduction in her grade 6 class, Clare insisted she would play the guitar too. Clare's passion for music was with her through high school at Vancouver Technical School and grade 12 at Port Moody Senior Secondary, where she played and traveled with the band and Jazz Band. Clare wrote her own music on the guitar, played outside school with friends, and loved listening to music so much. She was always excited about a new song or band, had a perfect soundtrack for every moment and never stopped sharing music with others.

Another passion of Clare's was born early. Her love for travel began with her summers spent in Liverpool, where her father Kevin grew up. She loved those summers traveling with Stephanie, Kevin and Cal, visiting friends and family, spending time with her Aunty Marg and Uncle Ken, her Cousin Marie and many others.

After high-school Clare studied stagecraft at Douglas College, and spent a year working at the Vancouver Children's Festival, where she became friends with co-workers and performers from around the world. This opened up her next trip - Australia. She went to Perth first, working at an international arts festival, making friends and having adventures. She traveled to the east coast of Australia too, taking in everything, stopping to work picking vegetables, collecting pals everywhere she went.
This was Clare's greatest talent- she brought people to her effortlessly, and kept them. After Australia she lived and worked in Vancouver for a few years, attracting more friends: artists, comedians, and musicians who Clare loved to be around, and who were inspired by her. She went to Edinburgh to visit her brother and found a new home for 5 years.  Here she met another kindred spirit and best friend in Olivia, and surrounded herself with people who loved music, art, theatre and most importantly: laughing as much as she did.

Clare was diagnosed with cancer in December of 2007, and from the start she was courageous. She immediately changed her lifestyle, and was always learning, never simply submitting herself to what Doctors told her. Health & healing became another of Clare's passions. She returned to school to study Holistic Nutrition, she researched and found her own treatment options at the Chipsa clinic in Mexico. With the incredible support of Kevin and Stephanie, of all her family and friends, Clare was able to undergo the treatment she chose.
Clare was not only strong, she was a force. She was full of hope, always planning the next step and looking forward. She would comfort everyone around her, her attitude was so positive and brave. She was fast to offer help and stubborn about asking for it but she had so many offers, she rarely had to.

Kevin and Steph were Clare's pillars from the day she was born, and their devotion over the last few years was unending. Clare took her strength from them, as well as her wisdom and her best characteristics: Clare was selfless and empathetic, graceful and calm like Stephanie. She was joyous and fun, loyal and strong like Kevin. Clare loved, and was very close to, her big brother Caley, his wife Caroline and their children Finlay and Cara, and they adored her in return. She cherished her Gran Stella who taught her so much. All of her aunts, uncles and cousins, and friends who were like family, their love helped Clare.

There are so many memories of Clare, but it is her network of friends that is her legacy. Australia, Scotland, Ireland, England, Spain, Montreal, Maine, and at home in Vancouver, the web of people who Clare touched is widespread and permanent. Through Clare we met, and through each other we will remember Clare as she truly was: bright, shining, loving, strong, beautiful, passionate, funny, silly, wise, compassionate, full of grace, and so much more than all of these things.

Olivia McCarthy – “I am devastated I lost you my beautiful best friend Miss Clare Boggan. I am so glad we found each other all those years ago in Edinburgh. We have had the most amazing & loving of friendships, many don't get to experience. I will forever treasure our friendship. We have shared so much, you have taught me lots and left me with incredible memories which flood my mind. You have made me laugh, you are so inspiring, creative, and never failed to cross the line with your humour & jokes. You always thought of others and you fought with so much courage & strength and I am so proud of you. You are forever in my heart. I miss you so much and I am completely lost without you. I hope you are resting & dreaming sweetly now Frogk. I love you so much.”

Gwen Culbertson – “Clare, I am so privileged to have known you, laughed with you, loved you. I have so many wonderful, mental, funny, brilliant memories. I am so grateful for all the amazing times we spent together. My life is all the richer for it and for knowing you. Much love and strength to your family and friends everywhere x Bidh mi gad ionndrainn gu bràth”

David Paul Jones - ‎'Nothing, in truth, can ever replace a lost companion. Old comrades cannot be manufactured. There is nothing that can equal the treasure of so many shared memories, so many bad times endured together, so many quarrels, reconciliations, heartfelt impulses. Friendships like that cannot be reconstructed. If you plant an oak, you will hope in vain to sit soon in its shade…There is only one true form of wealth, that of human contact.'
–Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Tara Louise Meal – “May you now Rest in Peace my baby cousin Clare! You amazed me with your mighty strength and your beautiful grace that was always shining through. You will always be remembered for all that and so much more! We Love you and miss you, but understand that you are now in a better place.”

Anna O'Brien – “Such a bright light in this world. I was always amazed not only by Clare's strength, but ability to show so much compassion for others all the while. She brought so much to so many.”


Please take a moment to leave your own words for Clare in the Condolences section, and upload photos too.

In lieu of flowers donations will be gratefully received.  Clare's wish was to be able to help young people with cancer receive holistic treatments such as acupuncture or reiki.  A trust fund will be set up in the coming  weeks to enable us to honour this wish.  Many thanks".