Claire Delano Thompson

A public memorial service will be held on January 12th for Claire Delano Thompson, who passed away peacefully in her Corralitos home on January 3, 2008 after living courageously with cancer for the past six years. She was 65.

Born in Philadelphia, PA, and raised in Naperville, IL, Claire graduated from Penn State University in 1964 with a BA in Sociology/Psychology. A year later, she entered UC Berkeley where she obtained her master's degree in Social Welfare. After her graduate studies, Claire worked as a school social worker in Marin and New Jersey before settling in Aptos in 1971 with her first husband, Sanford Delano, whom she met while attending UC Berkeley.

In 1972, recognizing a need for expanded mental health services in Santa Cruz County, Claire established a private psychotherapy practice in Aptos. She is considered by many in the Santa Cruz mental health community as a pioneer in her field as she was not only the first woman to open a private practice here, but also the first Licensed Clinical Social Worker LCSW to do so. In 1979, she co-founded Family Mediation Service, set up to provide child custody mediation services in partnership with the Santa Cruz County Superior Court. Claire continued in her private practice until her retirement in 2004.

In addition to her professional endeavors in the mental health field, Claire was a strong community activist and ardent volunteer, especially in the area of women's health and advancement. In 1972 she co-developed the Women's Studies Program at Cabrillo College and taught courses in that program from 1972-1978. She also coordinated the Women's Center and Academic Services at Cabrillo College during this time. In 1976, she formed the committee to create and fund Women's Crisis Support, which today continues to provide critical services and programs for domestic violence survivors across Santa Cruz County. In the 1980s, Claire was a member of the Board of Directors for both Planned Parenthood and the Corralitos Valley Community Council and was active in numerous other community organizations, educational programs and political campaigns. She believed in and applied her formidable talents to progressive causes long before each became trendy.

Claire was a voracious reader and an ardent gardener who loved nature and the world around her. She adored spending time tending to her beautiful flower gardens, and each fall, she baked prized pies using apples picked from her small orchard. She and her husband Kent traveled extensively and, more recently, enjoyed roaming around North America in their recreational trailer. Claire cherished and nurtured the many children in her life: her daughters and their friends in childhood and as young adults, her young niece Alexis Dempsey, and the Thompson grandchildren. Most notably, Claire was a dedicated and loving mother, wife, sister and friend who will be remembered for her graciousness, her warm-hearted, optimistic outlook, her generosity, and her fabulous sense of humor.

Claire is survived by her husband, Dr. Kent Thompson; daughters Quitanne Delano and Maya Delano; stepchildren Cara Thompson Owens, Safiyyah Thompson Alsabri, Leslie Thompson and Kent Thompson, Jr.; siblings Dyanne Young and Michael Dempsey. She was predeceased by Sanford Delano in 1983.

Public services will be held on Saturday, January 12th at 2pm at The Kennedy Youth Center at Our Lady Help of Christians Valley Catholic Church, located at 2401 East Lake Avenue in Watsonville.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in honor of Claire Delano Thompson to the Hospice Caring Project of Santa Cruz County or to Planned Parenthood Mar Monte.

All arrangements entrusted to the care of Santa Cruz Memorial - Oakwood Chapel, 3301 Paul Sweet Road, Santa Cruz, CA 95065