Invaluable Mother: As Claire’s children reflect upon the greatness of their mother, they are consistently reminded of how irreplaceable she is

She’s the first one they call when they need anything. She is their day one who has always provided for them and shown up for them. She is their rock and the one person they can count on to create fun memories with.

When Claire Doyle’s children talk about her, you can tell just how much they love and appreciate her. From the days of her running the household on one income to the way she shows up for her grandchildren now, she is seen as something of a “Superwoman.”

“For me, it would be her making time to come to all of my sports games when I was a kid,” Claire’s son Sean said when asked what his favorite memories with his mom are. “She would always make time to bring me to my practices and games, no matter how far away they were.”

Sean distinctly remembers the time a deer totaled the car on their way to practice, and he ditched his mom just to be a few minutes late and for his coach to make him run laps. In a way, this memory is a reminder of how Claire never lets any obstacle get in the way or bring her down.

“I admire how resilient she is; she never lets anything break her,” Claire’s daughter Jessica said. “I admire how strong she is… the strength that it took for her to raise four children on her own with no help, and she never gave up. She is so kind and caring, yet tough and fierce when needed. We love her sassy sarcasm.”

When it comes to describing all the great qualities Claire possesses, you can go a number of directions. She is as tough as they come, and she is also as selfless as they come. She stands up for herself and her people, and she is loved immensely by so many others.

Of course, as a mother, Claire has always stood up for her children. She has been their number one supporter and the one person they knew they could count on to be there no matter what. She is something of a role model, as the reason David, Kathleen, Jessica and Sean felt so loved growing up is because of the environment Claire created for them.

“Unconditional love for sure! No matter the mistakes we make in life, she will always be there in a nonjudgemental way,” Sean said when asked what his mother has taught him. “She will always forgive as well. She taught me her work ethic too, getting up every morning at 5 am and going to work. Never complaining about it, she did what she knew how to do: be a great mother.”

Mothering is a full-time job in and of itself, as is being a teacher of sorts to her kids. That is exactly what Claire has provided over the years, however, and she continues to do so for her three step-granddaughters, two granddaughters (with a third on the way) and three grandsons. She shows them the same resilience and love she showed their parents growing up, and she is never not there for them.

“She points us in the right direction and helps us navigate the issues we encounter,” Jessica said. “She reminds us of the struggles that she had and tells us how she got through them. She always tells me, ‘This too shall pass.’”

Jessica gets to see her mother a little more than the rest of them nowadays, as Claire lives with Jessica and Jessica’s children. And every single day, the encounters Jessica shares with her mother constantly remind her of the amazing woman that her mom is. She has been through a lot in life, but Claire has not ever let it get to her.

Claire is always reminded now of how worth it it was enduring everything she endured, as she now gets to be there for her grandchildren and watch them grow up.

“She loves hanging out with her grandchildren of course! Taking the little ones to the park and on dinner dates, and simply just hanging out with the older grandkids makes her very happy,” Jessica said. “She loves going over to Sean and Holly’s house to watch Missandei and Evie. She loves to read and going to the beach and relaxing. She loves to watch live bands and dance!”

All in all, Claire just loves to live life and live it to the fullest. She makes the most of every opportunity, and she is just always having a good time.

There are a lot of memories she has created for her family throughout the years too… albeit some may be a little more blush-worthy than others.

“A week or so after the wedding Holly and I sat down to read [the advice cards], the cards had the advice at the top and the person’s name on the bottom, so as I was reading them, I didn’t know who wrote it until I finished,” Sean said. “Well, I get to one that said something to the effect of ‘Have plenty of sex!’ I then read her name and I got kind of embarrassed in front of Holly. I was like, ‘OMG Mom!!’ Lmao.”

Her kids did say their mom gives some great advice…

In all honesty, there are just not many people as strong and courageous and wonderful as Claire Doyle. She was a doting wife for many years; she is a devoted mother; she is a spoiling grandmother; and she is a loyal friend. She is there at all times, and her family has every reason to appreciate her as much as they do.

“Mom, you are an incredibly strong, courageous woman who has overcome some very difficult things in life. You have learned from them and passed that on to all of us. The life lessons you have given us are invaluable. You are a great mother and an even better grandmother to your grandkids and grand-doggies! We all love you so much and appreciate everything you have done and sacrificed for all of us.” – Sean & Jessica