On July 14, 2020, Claire Grover Parsells, age 93, passed away peacefully after a brief illness and her belief that “it was time to go.”
She was a Princeton native, born March 5th, 1927 to Hermina and John Grover. Her older sister Molly Shallow passed away also at the age of 93 in 2018, while her younger brother Lloyd died at the age of 26 from heart problems.
She was the widow of H. Richard Parsells, who passed away in 1974, and predeceased by her eldest son Mark. She is survived by her children: Barbara Andazola, Telfair and husband Jerry Steele, Lloyd Parsells, Jaunie and husband Shaun Schooley. She is also survived by grandchildren, Becky Steele, Amanda Bassford, Emily Eldridge, Mercedes Schieu, Amelia Schooley, and Aidan Schooley. Memories of great-grandma will be retold to great-grandkids Malia, Gavin, Grover, Sylvia, and Lucy.
Always the sporty tomboy, she honed her athletic ability playing with her neighborhood friends of “Jugtown.” Lifelong friendships at Nassau Street Elementary and Miss Fines School, continued through her attendance at Choate Rosemary Hall, Finch College in NYC, and Rider College.
While she may have believed a bad day of golf was better than a good day at work, she enjoyed her various jobs at the Princeton Public Library, Parsells Real Estate, and the Princeton Packet. When not working you could find her on the golf course. Her love of golf was inherited from her father, a “scratch” golfer and repeat club champion at her beloved Springdale. Winning the Women’s championship in 1978 was one of her fondest memories. She also won the Women’s Senior Tournament six times.
Summers were spent with family and friends at her parents’ home in Mantoloking, N.J.
She was a mother of five, but a mom to many. While a well-kept house may not have been her forte, she made up for it by providing a home on Princeton Avenue, the family’s longtime epicenter, where all were welcome.
She resided in Princeton for 86 years before joining her daughter Jaunie Schooley in Northern California in 2013.
She was, amongst her many attributes, an animal lover, good cook, artist, world traveler, and book lover. She will be remembered not only as a strong willed, smart, and funny woman, but first and foremost, as a mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother whose presence will be greatly missed.
A celebration of her life will take place next summer.