Claire Elizabeth Amiel

Claire Elizabeth Amiel never said no to an adventure. Anyone who has seen Claire’s Instagram reels of her soaring through a canyon and rappelling down a cliff knows she was fearless, bold and always authentic.

Claire’s life began in Dallas, Texas on May 16, 1989, as the world’s cutest 10.8-pound newborn baby to doting parents, Paul and Edwina. Claire was the baby of the family (in more ways than one)! She was a best friend to older sister Marie (and, if we’re being honest, pseudo therapist) and an adoring little sister to older brother Reid. The story of Marie’s and Claire’s matching “Happy Enchilada” tattoos is certainly comical, but more importantly, is symbolic of the deep devotion between the sisters. Claire admired Reid and was always keen to impress him – he taught her to rollerblade and boldly fly into skating ramps at the tender of age of 6 (unknown if parents OK’d these activities).

Claire (affectionately known as “Ms. Lizzie”) was a people person. She had a quick-wit and a great sense of humor. In 7th grade, Claire attended Lakehill Preparatory School in East Dallas, where she met her lifelong soulmate, Hallie. The bond between Hallie and Claire was instant – at Hallie’s 2024 wedding to Wilson (aka, Claire’s bonus soulmate), Claire unironically and

completely sincerely adopted the hashtag #MrandMrsandMe. Hallie and Claire were the closest of friends and forever companions. You could always find Claire and Hallie together, laughing wildly and finding joy in the ordinary. Claire had a brief, but meaningful stint at Mercersburg Academy in beautiful Pennsylvania, where she became close with an international group of friends. It was here where she discovered that she had a passion for travel, a yearning to learn about cultures and explore. She visited over 20+ countries by the time she was 30 years old. Claire was open-minded, curious and flexible. Her most recent trip was with Hallie and her hero / dad, Paul (also called “Papa”) – they visited Japan, a bucket list destination that Claire and Papa wanted to share together.

Only a short drive away from Mercersburg was Claire’s favorite place in the world - Blue Ridge Summit - where her mom’s side of the family owned a charming home. Claire would spend summers at the family home with her siblings and dear cousin, Kat, climbing trees and reveling in the outdoors. In recent years, Claire, mom Edwina and sister Marie, committed to renovating a new family home in the same area. They were determined to ensure the family could continue to enjoy this special place for years to come.

Claire was a deeply compassionate and empathetic person. Claire had a close relationship with her Aunt Kelly, yet another strong-minded and independent woman in the family. When Aunt Kelly was diagnosed with colon cancer, Claire showed up for her without hesitation. It was Claire who loved and meticulously cared for her during those difficult days. Claire was there until the very end, even taking Aunt Kelly to a remote village in Spain for 2 weeks, to fulfill one of Aunt Kelly’s wishes before her passing. Claire’s second tattoo was a sailboat, in honor of Aunt Kelly’s passion for living a life untethered, purposeful and always in the moment.

Aunt Kelly had a profound impact on Claire. She embarked on a new adventure shortly after, inspired by Aunt Kelly’s journey: Van Life. Claire bought a questionable 20?? Dodge Van, parked it in front of Papa’s house in Lakewood, solicited help from her skeptical brother and friends, and spent weeks upgrading it and preparing for a life on the road. Claire took off in 2018, initially heading straight for Arizona. It goes without saying that Claire was incredibly resourceful and independent. During her van-life days, she drove from Texas to Arizona, to California, to Washington State, to the Midwest, to Baltimore, several times over, in both the scorching heat and extreme winters. She saw the country in a way not possible for most Americans. She made several other van-life friends along the way. Claire’s beloved dog, Benny, was along for the journey. Claire adopted Benny in 2012, after she and Marie found the pup wandering by the I-30 overpass in East Dallas and in need of serious TLC. Benny was “hilariously disobedient,” as reported by several Amiel family members. Naturally, Claire loved Benny unreservedly and she enjoyed documenting their travels together.

Claire eventually moved to Nelson, British Columbia in Canada to pursue love, where the views were breathtaking, but the winters were harsh. Thereafter, she found her way back to the States, settling in Moab, Utah. She had a close-knit rock-climbing community in the southwest. She was fit, healthy (and a long time vegan!) and happy. She was living a life she loved, spending her free time exploring, giving back to her communities, connecting with family and friends, and traveling, hiking, and rock climbing.

For her entire life – and throughout all of her various adventures – Claire maintained a special relationship with Papa. It wasn’t long before Paul was just “Papa” to all of Claire’s friends, too! Claire, Reid, Marie and friends dubbed themselves #TeamAmiel (yes, there were custom t-shirts). Claire knew how strong her support system was and how lucky she was to be constantly surrounded by love, friendship and joy and she never took that for granted.

Claire passed away on Tuesday, January 30, 2024, after suffering a tragic fall while rock climbing with one of her best friends outside of Phoenix. Claire left this Earth too soon, but her kindness, authenticity, and generosity will be cherished forever. In a surprise to no one, shortly before Claire left us, she rescued a 15-year-old dying and disabled dog named Dobby, with the hopes of helping him through his final days.

Claire is survived by her father, Paul (Lisa); mother, Edwina (Gerry); sister Marie (HB Roberts); brother Reid; cousin Kat; and several beloved extended family members and friends.