Jamie Clauson Obituary

JAMIE CLAUSON

South Hadley, MA - James Clauson Jr., Jamie to his friends, was a life-long learner, always curious. He passed away on December 2, 2022 at age 81, after a recent diagnosis of epilepsy, subsequent steep physical and neurological decline, and a brief time in home hospice care.

Jamie most recently lived at Loomis Village in South Hadley with his wife, Pat. He was an active part of the Loomis community, developed many close friendships, and spent a good amount of time playing various games of bridge and cribbage. He lived in this region years ago while an undergraduate at Amherst College. Returning to the area as a retiree, he took advantage of the area's academic offerings and, for the past few years, regularly audited classes at Amherst, Mt. Holyoke, and Smith colleges. In particular, he loved classes with Professor Ilan Stavans at Amherst College.

Jamie started his career in finance and government after getting an MBA at Harvard, but soon realized that he wanted something different and spent several decades as a world history teacher at Bronxville High School while living nearby in Greenburgh, NY.

In one memorable year, he decided to live in one of the places he had been teaching about and took a sabbatical with his family and moved to the rural countryside in Kenya, where he taught at a local boy's secondary school called Cheptenye and became friends for life with one of his students, Willy Chelule. Jamie and his three children were able to return to Kenya last Spring and spend time with Willy and Willy's children and grandchildren.

After teaching in Bronxville, Jamie, who loved to garden, spent a number of years in Johnstown, NY running a u-pick-it strawberry farm with his brother, Andy Clauson. To supplement his farming income Jamie continued teaching, this time in a local county jail, helping inmates pursue their GEDs and, in some cases, learn English using the Spanish he had taught himself over the years. When he retired, he started volunteering as a Court-appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for children removed from their homes due to allegations of neglect or abuse. He became the unpaid director of the local CASA organization for a few years before he finally really retired.

The Adirondacks and the outdoors were a special love of Jamie's. His grandfather built a "camp" (small summer house) on Piseco Lake and every summer Jamie enjoyed time on the lake with family and friends. He and Pat also enjoyed time together watching sports and watching the many sporting events of Pat's Pilkey grandchildren and Jamie's Clauson grandchildren.

Jamie is survived by his wife, Pat Clauson of South Hadley, MA, his sister, Judy Holmes of Hartland, VT, his daughter, Laura Clauson Ferree of Truckee, CA, his daughter, Lisa Clauson of Northampton, MA, his son, Peter Clauson of Martinez, CA, and various grandchildren.

A memorial service to celebrate Jamie's life will be held at Loomis Village on Saturday, December 17th at 1pm.

Flowers or donations are not needed but anyone wishing to make a donation in his name could support the CASA (Court appointed Special Advocates) program of Hampshire County run by Friends of Children Inc.: https://friends-of-children.networkforgood.com/projects/153087-donate-now

Published by Daily Hampshire Gazette on Dec. 9, 2022.