ClairemarieHaley

Clairemarie Haley

1984. Photo from ScottMacNeil Circa 1980

June 14, 1950 - August 25, 201412

Clairemarie was active in the community in the early '80s, including working at GAE's office as Resource Coordinator3.

She was the first female president of the VON in Amherst4.

In 2010, she ran for municipal council in Amherst5. Later that year, she advocated for improved mental health supports and services6.

She leaves behind a loving partner of 25 years, Fran Wilson.

A celebration of life was held on September 3, 2014 starting at 2PM, at Campbell's Funeral Home in Amherst.

Memories

• DrBobFredrickson says: "She was a wonderful lady, a sweetheart. She was part of the original OverThirtiesGroup, and worked at DASC industries when she lived here. She and Fran have lived out of Halifax for quite some time.
• ScottMacNeil writes: "The first time I saw Clairmarie, she was onstage at the Dunn playing opposite WalterBorden in Puss n' Boots. She played the Queen and Walter played Puss. Her frock was red velvet with a train that stretched half way across the stage. Costumes were designed by RobertDoyle. I'm guessing it was the late 1970s. Lots of fun and a very gay affair indeed! When she and JuanitaPooley7 lived in Dartmouth I would sometimes go out and have an all night lullay with her while Juanita worked backshift. They had an overweight dog named Scooby Doo. This would have been 30+ years ago during the early 1980's."
• RobinMetcalfe: "I remember Clairemarie Haley performing with JimMacSwain at The Turret in 1980 in "The Affair", the cabaret to mark the first anniversary of the first of three acquittals of the officers of Pink Triangle Press, publishers of The Body Politic. (The defendants included Ken Popert, Gerald Hannon and Ed Jackson.) This was the first ever PinkTriangleDay. Clairemarie played Gertrude Stein and Jim played Alice B Toklas, urging her to "have another brownie." Before they went on - with Clairemarie clearing a path through a room full of rowdy working-class lesbians - I heard her, backstage, say to Jim, "This is not a Gertrude Stein crowd." Boy was she wrong about that. The audience ate them up. Clairemarie recited Stein's famous passage from "Miss Furr and Miss Skeene," about two women who "were regularly gay. They were gay every day." Clairemarie and Jim gave us all a moment of joyous self-recognition as a Queer community. Thank you, Clairemarie.

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