Personne

Clarke, Freda

• Freda Lasser
• Freda Munro

1907 - July 3, 1983

Freda Clarke was born in Zurich, Switzerland and came to Canada when she was three years old. She lived near Powell River for six years before the family moved to Vancouver where they lived for a number of years.

She first came to Squamish in 1927 to teach primary school at the old Mashiter School which was torn down when the new west wing of Howe Sound Secondary School was built. In 1935, she married Alex Munro and they moved to Quesnel for a year where their first child Dan was born. Later they moved back to Squamish and lived in a house across from the present Mamquam Elementary School before moving to the house on Second Avenue where she lived for many years.

Her husband was killed when a PGE train plunged into Seton Lake in January 1950 and for a number of years she returned to her profession, acting as a substitute teacher whenever she was needed.

In 1963 she married the late Stan Clarke who predeceased her by two years. She was survived by her two sons, Colonel Dan Munro in Germany and Richard of 100 Mile House, and her daughter Lynette Halvorson of Squamish.

Freda Clarke loved growing flowers and vegetables and taking fruit from her garden to her friends. Many people received a thoughtful gift of a bowl of raspberries or a basket of cherries.

Her funeral was held in the Squamish United Church on Thursday, July 7, 1983 at 2pm and followed by interment in Mount Garibaldi Cemetery.

Zurich (Switzerland), Powell River, Vancouver, Quesnel, Squamish

In her more than fifty years in Squamish, Freda Clarke played an active part in the community. In the early days she was prominent in the PTA and made a life member; she was always active in the United Church of which she was a member, and a life member of the UCW as well as serving on the church board.

She was one of the founders of the Squamish Public Library and served for many years as the unpaid librarian while the library was in its infancy. She was honoured on her retirement by being made a life member of the library.

She received the Good Citizen Award for 1966 in recognition of her work for the library as well as her record of public service. Her father-in-law, H.A. Munro was one of the earliest recipients of the award for his work for the fire department. Stan Clarke had received it a few years before for his work for the municipality.

Freda Clarke was also a member of the boy scout group committee when her sons were younger and served on the original fall fair committee formed after the second world war.

She was also a member of the Order of the Eastern Star and the Squamish Senior Citizens' Society. She was also very active on the Squamish Intermediate Care Committee in her last five years.

As well as working as a substitute teacher, Freda Clarke was the first adult education director in Squamish and laid the groundwork for the present programs. She also worked as a reporter for the Times and filled in when the editor was on vacation.

Squamish Times. July 12, 1983. Page 3.

Eldest sister of Rose and Del Tatlow.