Claire E. Vieth

May 26, 1912-December 1, 2014

102, of Greeley

Claire Elizabeth Vieth died in Greeley, CO, on December 1, 2014 at the age of 102. She was born Claire Elizabeth Monroe in St. Louis, MO, on May 26, 1923 to Randall and Rena (Brinkmeyer) Monroe. Claire married Robert Henry Vieth on January 1, 1937, at Eden Seminary in Webster Groves, MO; they enjoyed 51 years of very happy marriage until his death on January 13, 1988. They lived in Webster Groves, MO, for most of their married life.

Claire‘s was an extended and loving family and she was the family storyteller. After moving to Greeley in 2004, she took classes in Writing Your Life, and committed many of these stories to paper. Claire was always an enthusiastic athlete, playing basketball in high school, and, later in life, participating in the Senior Olympics until the age of 93. She enjoyed all kinds of sports, but she specialized in shot put and discus, because, she said “I just like to throw things.” Her many medals from the Senior Olympic were distributed over the years among her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and students. Claire was loving, but never sentimental; honest, loyal, funny, and a one-of-a-kind character. She used to say that she lived in the moment, not looking forward, not looking back, and she did this all her life. There will be no replacing her.

She is survived by daughters Karen (Wayne) Trainor, Greeley, CO, and Gail (Glenn) Reed, Flagstaff, AZ; grandchildren Jennifer (Andrea) Cash, Robert (Yuka) Cash, Darcy Reed, and David Reed; great-grandchildren Claire Cash, Diego, Julian, and Oliver Cash, and Elowyn and Ariya Couch; as well as many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, her brother Paul, and sisters Shirley and Dorothy.

Services will be held at the First Congregational UCC Church in Greeley, CO, on December 12, 2014 at 2:00 P.M. Interment will be at St. Paul’s Churchyard in Affton, MO.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the First Congregational Church UCC in Greeley, CO, or to your local PBS station (a source of great pleasure to Claire), or to a charity of your choice, in care of Allnutt Funeral Service, 702 13th Street, Greeley, CO, 80631. Friends may view the online obituary and send condolences at www.allnutt.com.