Clarissa Jones

Clarissa Fay Colven

nee Jones

Clarissa died of pulmonary failure at the Ottawa Civic Hospital in the early hours of Thursday 10 November 2016. She was 82 years old and her death was sudden, but her general health had been delicate for some years. She leaves behind her husband of 58 years, Tony, her three children Michael, Philip and Sarah and two grandchildren Carys and Caden. Clarissa lost her much loved younger and only sister Pauline just over a year ago. Clarissa was born in the Rhondda Valley in South Wales in September 1934 and grew up there. She graduated from the University of Wales with a degree in chemistry in 1957. This was where she met Tony and they were married in 1958. Clarissa worked as a chief laboratory chemist for about two years. Then they settled in Cwmbran, Monmouthshire and their two boys Michael and Philip spent their early childhoods there. They emigrated to Canada in 1967, to Cobourg Ontario where Sarah was born. The family spent three years in Montreal before Tony started work with the federal government in Ottawa by late 1972. They moved to Bells Corners in Nepean, where they lived for 42 years. In Ottawa, Clarissa attended Algonquin College and earned an accounting diploma and worked as a bookkeeper for a number of small local companies. She was an active member of both provincial and national Liberal parties in Nepean, serving on the boards of both and as treasurer and membership secretary. She served for two years as a public member of the Lieutenant Governor's Board of Review and for six years as public member of the Board of Opticians of Ontario. Because of advancing years and declining health Clarissa and Tony sold their bungalow in Bells Corners in late 2014 and moved to a rented apartment in Williams Court Kanata. On Saturday 29 October Clarissa had a sudden and severe attack of gout which left her unable to stand and she had to be taken to the Civic Hospital. Once treated the gout improved but her pulmonary function, not good for a number of years, slowly deteriorated over the following ten days. She died in her sleep. She will be terribly missed by her family and a wide circle of friends. Friends may call at the Garden Chapel of Tubman Funeral Homes, 3440 Richmond Road, Nepean on Thursday, November 17, 2016 from 1:00 pm, with a service in the Chapel to Celebrate Clarissa's life at 2:00 pm, followed by a reception. In lieu of flowers, a donation to the Heart and Stroke Foundation would be appreciated. Condolences, tributes or donations may be made at www.tubmanfuneralhomes.com .

Goodbye my love. Tony