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In 1921, a
Royal Proclamation granted Canada a coat of arms and made the country’s
official colors red and white. It was in the Federal election of 1921 that
the women of Canada were able to exercise their right to vote for the first
time.
In Canada’s capital city of Ottawa, grocer Alexander Trudel and his lovely
wife, Mary (Joly), welcomed their first child into their hearts and into
their home. Little Claire Trudel made her first appearance on September 21,
1921. Sister Lucille and brother Ray later joined the family circle.
Claire attended a convent school until she was 12 years old. At that time,
her father took a job as general foreman of the warehouse for Hudson’s
Department Store in Detroit, Michigan. Not wanting to leave their native
Canada, the family moved to Windsor. As a Hudson’s employee, Mr. Trudel
joyfully served as Santa Claus. In addition, each year, he also marched in
the holiday parade, wearing a large Italian head, made of papier-mache.
After two years of commuting to Hudson’s, Alexander Trudel moved his family
to Quincy Street in Detroit. There, Claire attended St. Bridget Catholic
School. She later attended St. Theresa High School, graduating at the age of
16 in 1937. When Claire finished her schooling, she took a job at Hudson’s
Department Store, where she worked in gift-wrapping and in alterations. Even
when she no longer worked for Hudson’s, Claire remained loyal to her former
employer; she did ALL of her shopping there.
The Trudels lived next door to the Shalhoub family. The scion of the
Shalhoub family was a charming young man named Louis. He worked for his
father at the neighborhood store, Shalhoub’s Mellow Market. The existence of
this fellow had not escaped the notice of Claire; she was crazy about Louis.
Fortunately, Alexander Trudel was very fond of Louis, too. Alexander was
instrumental in getting the young couple together.
St. Luke Catholic Church was the site of the marriage of Louis and Claire.
They were united as man and wife on April 22, 1944. Following their wedding
reception at home, the newlyweds honeymooned in Champaign, Illinois and in
Chicago, where they were able to stay at the famous Drake Hotel. Since they
had married during the time that our country was involved in World War II,
and Louis was a member of the Army Air Corps, Claire came home from their
honeymoon alone. Her groom had to report for duty. Claire worked in the
business office at Providence Hospital until Louis came home from the war.
When Louis was able to return home after his discharge at the end of the
war, he and Claire moved to an upper flat at 8451 Quincy in Detroit. They
wanted to be near their families. It was into this apartment that the joyous
young couple welcomed their first child, Carolyn, in October 1946. Louis
supported his little family by working in marketing and forecasting for the
Gas Company. When their daughter Shelly was born, in 1951, the Shalhoub
family moved to 9101 Appleton in Redford Township.
After 15 years of residency in the United States, Claire was thrilled to
become a naturalized citizen in 1950.
From the very beginning, Claire was a marvelous wife and mother. Her
housekeeping skills would have made her an excellent role model for the
“June Cleaver” housewives of the 1950s. Although Claire’s culinary
creativity was stifled a bit by her husband’s appetite of always wanting
meat and potatoes, she was, nevertheless, an exceptional cook and baker. She
was famous for her delectable pies and Christmas cookies. Ironically, Claire
was reluctant to teach her two daughters how to cook. Because she was so
meticulous, she would rather do all the cooking herself than to allow her
girls to make a mess in her spotless kitchen. On one occasion, when Carolyn
and Shelly attempted to bake a pie on their own, Shelly managed to singe her
arm when the oven door blew open.
Despite her own talents in the kitchen, Claire was very excited about the
advent of convenience foods. The family ate a lot of the phenomenal new TV
dinners, fish sticks and Little Caesar’s pizza. One of Claire’s favorite
indulgences at that time was a Sander’s cream puff sundae.
Because of Claire’s fastidious nature, Dixie, the family’s dog only lasted
for a single day. Claire simply could not tolerate the mess involved with
trying to housebreak a dog in her immaculate home.
Not only was Claire a loving mother, she was also a devoted daughter. When
Mary Trudel became an invalid, it was Claire who selflessly gave of time to
see to her mother’s well being. She never complained; she just did whatever
was asked of her.
Claire’s faith was extremely important to her. She was an ardent member of
Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church in Redford Township. She was also an
active constituent of the Altar Society there. Claire made it a priority to
see that her daughters attended Catholic school. She was an 8 consecutive
year member of the Rosary High School Mother’s Club. She insisted that they
both have a college education, too. Claire remained ever faithful in praying
the rosary.
Because she had never learned to drive a car, when Carolyn and Shelly were
old enough to learn how to drive, the three of them learned together. It
proved to be a great bonding experience for mother and daughters.
Louis and Claire celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary with a wonderful
family celebration at the Portage Point Inn in Onekama, Michigan. It was an
event that Claire would cherish for years.
When Louis died suddenly in 1974, Claire was devastated by his loss. During
the difficult period after his death, Claire felt that her life, too, was
over. There was nothing that could possibly fill the void that his death had
created in her world. Fortunately, the girls stepped in to support and
encourage their mom at this time. Claire was so proud of them. Carolyn’s
work at Providence Hospital provided Claire with an opportunity to do
volunteer work and to help with bake sales. Since she was teaching, Shelly
enlisted her mother’s help on field trips.
Although family vacations had previously consisted of trips to Ottawa,
Canada, and to Connecticut, to visit family, Claire now found new reasons to
travel. Shelly married Don Manvel in 1979. Don’s job took them to various
locations around the country, as well as to Austria and Italy. Claire
enjoyed visiting them. Even though Louis and Claire had not done much
traveling during their marriage, after Louis died, she found a deposit for a
trip to Switzerland. It was going to be his surprise for her.
Eventually, Claire settled into her role as a widow. She remained fervent in
her religious faith. She attended many funerals, where she was able to lend
support to family and friends because she understood fully what they were
experiencing. Claire also whiled away many hours, tending her garden. She
enjoyed nourishing her myriad varieties of flowers.
In 1991, Claire enthusiastically greeted the arrival of her grandson, Nick.
Nick immediately became the apple of his grandmother’s eye. She was so proud
of the lad, absolutely doting on him. He was truly the jewel in her crown.
When Claire gave up her home, in favor of an apartment in Farmington in
1996, she endeared herself to her many neighbors. She attended Mass every
Saturday evening with “her ladies.” She would drive them to church, then out
to dinner afterwards. It became a tradition with her.
Claire had been very healthy during her lifetime. She had only been
hospitalized for her appendix on her 21st birthday and for the births of her
two girls. However, the beginning stages of dementia were diagnosed in 1997.
This condition prompted Claire’s move to Franklin Terrace Assisted Living in
Southfield. Claire quickly adapted to her new environment, once again
becoming involved in activities and making new friends. When the disease
began to take its toll, Claire entered Evergreen Health and Living Center,
where she was put under hospice care. She later moved to the Sanctuary at
Alexander Living Center. Amazingly, Claire eventually became “too healthy”
for hospice care, and became a “hospice graduate.”
Claire Shalhoub will be lovingly remembered as a kind, dependable and
generous woman. She was dedicated to her family and to her church; her faith
was unwavering. She has undoubtedly earned her eternal reward. She is
finally free from the affliction that took her, prematurely, from her family
and free to be happy with Louis, in the welcoming arms of her Lord and
Savior.
On December 13, 2008, Claire Shalhoub passed away, at the age of 87. Claire
had been the devoted wife of the late Louis Shalhoub and the beloved mother
of Carolyn and Shelly (Don) Manvel. She was the very proud grandmother of
Nick. Her many nieces and nephews and her siblings, Lucille (Bob) Begley and
Raymond (Carole) Trudel, as well as her sister-in-law, Bernadette (David)
Burke, will miss her dearly.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. John Hospice or to Alexander Mercy
Living Center. |
In Memory of