Clarice "Clare" A. Kittleson

Clarice (Clare) Solberg Kittleson passed on to the next stage of existence on Saturday, Dec. 5, 2020, at the age of 95. She suffered the ravages of Alzheimer's for over a decade, so we all said goodbye in bits and pieces. In her whole biography, most important is to include what others have shared/felt regarding her life here on earth, and what her family and friends view as her essence: laughs and cheerfulness; ever-present smile and joy; happy soul; welcoming to all; unconditional acceptance and inclusion; sly sense of humor and quick wit; authenticity; kind; wonderful woman; caring; selfless; family first; smart with endless intellectual curiosity; adventuresome. Clare was born in Sharon, ND, and moved with her family to Moorhead and Minneapolis, MN. She LOVED her mid-Western roots, and reveled in her Norwegian heritage (lefse, lutefisk), and still jumped at the opportunity to move to the Pacific Northwest with her new husband, Ted Kittleson, to pursue his teaching career after returning from service in World War II. She was ultimately an educator, first in Pine City, MN, in a one-room schoolhouse, then teaching English Language Learners (ELL/ESL) at Clark Community College in Vancouver, WA, and Lewis and Clark College in Portland, OR. She also studied nursing and journalism. She received a state literary award from Oregon, an MA in German, and endorsements in Serbo-Croatian studies and to teach ESL. Additionally, she kept the household humming as Ted built two houses, one of which they lived in from 1964-2019! Over the years, she volunteered with foreigners, mental health crisis line, Camp Fire and other entities. On a very personal level, she and the family traveled literally all over the world: 1961-63 to Germany as a DOD spouse, meaning she camped ALL OVER Europe from the Arctic Circle to Greece and Africa with three children, as Ted taught in Army dependents' schools. In her "spare time" there, she worked in a civilian position with the military in encryption and decryption during the Cold War. After "the kids" were grown, they went to Norway and Germany again, Hawaii, Alaska, Korea, Guam, eastern Europe as a couple and with son, Bill, and other family members. Perhaps the most precious times were local car rides on a daily basis. She adored nature. Her precious family includes her husband, Ted, and son, Bill, who were there every single day nurturing her; daughter, Janet Abbott (Dave) from Edmonds, WA. Her three grandchildren are Dan Abbott (Emily), Kristin Abbott Coulter (Brad) and Karen Thompson (Scott). She was blessed to know her five great-grandchildren. She connected to the end with her loving sisters: Harriet Johnson (Fargo, ND) and LaVaughn Martin (CO). All the extended family continues to be a godsend. She was predeceased by parents, Philip Solberg and Alma Field Solberg; sister, Phyllis Albert who died in 1981, and daughter, Stephanie in 2014, who also provided daily care for years. She was blessed to be overseen toward the end by professional health care providers at an excellent facility (The Quarry/The Atrium), staffed by Tracy Dangerfield and Ana Bailey. They couldn't have been kinder or more attentive to her or our family. After the COVID crisis, we will have a memorial service. Contact jlkajourney@gmail.com for information.

Clarice "Clare" A. Kittleson

November 22, 1925 - December 5, 2020