CLAIR HOWARTH RABBETTS

(April 13, 1956 - February 13, 2026) It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Clair Howarth Rabbetts, on February 13th, in the Palliative Care Unit at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto, after a long and fiercely courageous battle with cancer. She is survived by her husband, Stephen; younger sister, Lynne Burnley (Steve); and nephew and godson, Cody Burton (Katerina). She was predeceased by her parents, Cyril and Sheila (Cheshire); older sister, Jane; and son, Christopher Edwin. Born in Surrey, UK, Clair immigrated to Canada at the age of 11 months with her family, eventually settling in Newmarket, Ontario, where she lived an idyllic existence roaming the fields and woods of rural Newmarket, skating during the winter, and swimming during the summer. Accepted as an Ontario Scholar into Victoria College, University of Toronto, she completed her Bachelor of Arts degree with Distinction in 1978. By this time she had also met Stephen Rabbetts, who was punching well above his weight when he proposed in 1981, when Clair also decided to unofficially keep her maiden name as her middle name. The early years of their marriage were marked by tragedy, culminating with the sudden death of their son, Christopher, in 1985. However, an opportunity arose in 1988 to live in England for a year, and they moved to a tiny village 60 km outside of London. There, she worked in the medieval city of St. Albans, a place "impossible to get to from here" according to village locals. But, always strong-willed and undaunted by a challenge, Clair cycled 7 km twice a day down a country lane to the bus. Off days were spent exploring London and the countryside by car. The year ended with three weeks in Greece, which led to a flowering of her art-quick pen and ink sketches, and incredibly dense, detailed and impressionistic landscapes in pencil. Back in Toronto, with her artistic background, Clair applied for and was hired as a graphic artist for a consortium designing an extensive University Campus for the Saudi Arabian government. With the sudden cancellation of the project, Jamil Mardukhi, Keith Loffler, and John McAlpine asked Clair to join their staff, leading to a career she found immensely satisfying and rewarding as the office manager of NCK Engineering and KLM Architects. The office continued in operation during COVID, and Clair was determined to remain until the pandemic ended, but in 2021 her progressing illness left her goal unfulfilled, and she retired. The level of trust, respect, responsibility and friendship she was shown by them and their spouses was deeply valued. Throughout her life, Clair was true to herself, true to her friends, and true to her innate moral code - the difference between right and wrong, what was acceptable and what was not, how to treat people with respect. It was in Clair's nature to be humble and unassuming, and she had no ego whatsoever. Her superpower was that she listened, really listened, and when she replied, it was warm and genuine, and it was all about the conversation and not about herself. She was as beautiful inside as she was outside. Clair was passionate about fine art and jazz, all her dogs, canoeing and snowshoeing in Algonquin Park, Canadiana furniture and cobalt Depression glass (among a host of other things). She never tired of British crime mysteries and (inexplicably) Coronation Street. She maintained loving lifelong friendships, and right up to the last months of her life she continued to make deep and enduring friendships as she graced people with her presence. She loved and was loved by an awful lot of people, not least her husband. But most of all, she loved Life. Thank you to all her friends and family for the joy they brought into her life, and thanks to all the deeply caring and deeply committed doctors and nurses who devoted their time looking after her at the Odette Centre and Sunnybrook Hospital. A memorial service will be held at a later date. If desired, donations in her name can be made to Habitat for Humanity (Canada), because Clair was happiest in the home she filled with warmth, beauty and love, and believed everyone should have that opportunity.