Clara Catherine Borden

Loved beyond words. Her light and laughter will be missed forever

Clara was electric, free, funny, and fiercely loyal. She brought joy wherever she went, turning ordinary moments into celebrations. Music, laughter, water, sunshine, dancing in the car, and closeness meant everything to her. To her closest friends, she was the most loving person they had ever known, family in every sense—showing up fully, always. More than anything, Clara wanted to be near the people she cared about and make sure they felt it.

"She was free and fun and the most magnetic person I've ever known."

Clara identified as a recovering alcoholic and addict who fought hard for her sobriety and for her mental health. For 23 months, she leaned fully into recovery, becoming a beacon of light to other young women entering recovery. She always showed up and offered support, free of judgement, making sobriety feel cool, hopeful, exciting, and possible.

"Clara was unlike anyone I've ever met. She was the coolest, most vibrant, most loving woman on the planet. She was the best friend to everyone she met. It didn't matter if you knew her for 2 minutes or 2 years, you knew you had a place with her and were safe. I will never be able to put into words the light she brought into my life. I will love her fiercely and deeply forever."

"Clara brought laughter and joy to anyone who came near her in a way that was truly cup-filling. From the outside, fear and anxiety didn't know Clara. And when I was with her, they didn't know me either. She loved me for me, met me where I was, saw the darkness I thought I deserved to live in, and pulled me out with all her love and light. That's what Clara did. She planted seeds everywhere she went and watered everyone around her."

In 2024, Clara worked at a treatment center to help other young people seeking support and sobriety. In 2025, Clara chased her calling to work with children as a preschool teacher. She applied for a position at a local preschool, and when they interviewed her, it was clear to the Director that she had it, the thing that doesn't show up on a resume and for which there is no degree. She could see the world as the kids saw it, feel what they felt. She loved the kids and the kids loved her back. Her warmth and love left a lasting impact.

But beneath Clara's outward joy, there was a terrible ache. She had lived too much life for her age. She was sustained by love, and she was willing to offer all that she had, but even those who are truly and wholly loved sometimes feel the draft of its lack. Clara suffered from depression and the relentless pull of substance abuse. Addiction is particularly cruel to the young and the vulnerable, and was devastating to Clara.

Clara died on Monday, January 5, after losing her hold on sustained sobriety. She was strong and willful, a survivor until she wasn't. She was deeply loved and will be forever missed.
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Clara is survived by her father Rick Borden; mother Abigail Parsons; sister Lucy Borden; half-brother Ross Borden and his wife Rachel; half-sister Georgia Collins and her husband Chris; nephews August Collins and Vance Borden and niece Sonti Borden; Rick's partner Elizabeth; Georgia and Ross's mother Delanie.
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Clara's friends have organized a GoFundMe campaign to honor Clara by supporting individual Bay Area women who do not have the financial resources to access the recovery services they need. Every dollar raised will be directed intentionally in alignment with what Clara stood for: community, compassion, authenticity, and showing other young women that recovery is worth fighting for. Through this work, we hope Clara's bright light will continue to reach women seeking healing, hope, and a new beginning. We will continue to share her story with each and every young woman we meet so that the impact of her life and spirit endures.

https://gofund.me/e7c8b4bc0