English lecturer; Born March 19, 1955; Died February 14, 2007. Many of those who knew Clare Maclean would say that she was one of the best-read people they ever met.
Books were a huge part of her life. They overflowed the shelves in her warm tenement apartment in Glasgow. There was always a new novel or one of the old classics on the coffee table, a pile of books by her bedside and hundreds of well-thumbed recipe books in the kitchen. One of her great pleasures was to scan the literary supplements every weekend, make a list of the books she wanted to read and then buy them. Her taste was eclectic, from Don Quixote to Andrea Levy via Great Expectations. She met her partner, Mike Gonzalez, professor of Hispanic Studies at Glasgow University, because of their shared passion for Pablo Neruda.
Clare was born the eldest daughter of Frank and Clare McMahon, and grew up with her two sisters and a brother in a household that did not have a lot of money to spare but was happy and loving.
She completed an MA (Hons) in English Literature at Glasgow University and her graduation - the first in her family - was a source of great pride to her parents. Later, she researched for a doctorate on Chaucer.
She chose a career in teaching and lectured in English and Communication at Clydebank College from 1981 until her retirement, because of ill-health, in 2003. Those 22 years were spent doing what she loved, talking about books and the English language to mature students eager to soak up her knowledge. She was also an enthusiastic participant in the adult literacy scheme and many people in Glasgow today are reading or writing thanks to Clare's instruction.
Literature was the backbone of her life but she also loved the theatre, going to the opera and the cinema, cooking and travelling. Her lively wit and warm personality attracted many people and she had a large circle of friends.
She and Mike entertained often in their home and dinner party invitations were much sought-after, both for the fine food and wine on the table and for the quality of the conversation. Their Burns suppers were legendary.
A dedicated socialist and activist, she marched against the Iraq war and campaigned against education cuts with her union colleagues.
Throughout all this she struggled with illness. She was first diagnosed with breast cancer and then the neurological disease Friedreich's ataxia, which affected her balance and her mobility. Her failing health over the past 11 years stopped her from doing some of the things she loved, including climbing Munros. She enjoyed champagne at Rogano, but as she became increasingly confined to home, her social life changed location as her many friends beat a path to her door.
In her last few days, she remembered a summer evening on the Perthshire hills and the unforgettable light on the walk home.
Clare died peacefully in hospital at the age of 51, with her partner and her sister, Margaret, beside her. It was a life that was too short but well lived and for those who were lucky enough to know her she is irreplaceable. She is survived by her partner Mike, her parents, her sisters and her brother.
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