Obituary of Clarinda L. Kirkman

Clarinda L. Kirkman, 91, a resident of St. Ann’s Community at Cherry Ridge in Webster, NY, passed away peacefully on April 20, after a brief illness. Her final moments were shared with her children at her side. Clarinda was born in Providence, RI in 1924. She was the oldest of five children born to Robert H. and Marion B. Lawson. She attended Classical High School in RI, and Wellesley College in MA, graduating with a B.S. in Botany. Before her marriage, she worked at the Boston Public Library, in Boston, MA. She was an accomplished pianist who studied under Ruth Slenczynska. In Clarinda’s later years, she worked at the American Red Cross in Providence, RI as Director of Service to Military Families. After her retirement, she volunteered at the Lockwood-Matthews Mansion in Norwalk, CT, and the RIT Atheneum in Rochester, NY. Clarinda is survived by her three sons and one daughter: Robert (Patrice) Kirkman of Lincoln, RI; John Kirkman of Webster, NY; Rexford (Debra) Kirkman of Warwick, RI; and Amy Sweet (Robert) of Saranac Lake, NY; five grandchildren, Michael (Rossel) Kirkman; Stacey (Greg) Bastia; Rexford (Sarah) Kirkman; Kathryn Sweet; and Daniel Sweet; 6 great-grandchildren; her brother, Walter R. Lawson and his wife Joan of Roanoke, VA and her sister-in-law, Margaret Lawson of Monroe Twp, NJ. All of us loved her dearly and will miss her terribly. There will be no calling hours or funeral services in NY. Instead, there will be a celebration of her life in a memorial service to be held in Providence, RI, at the convenience of the family on a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to: St. Ann’s Community, 900 Cherry Ridge Blvd, Webster, NY 14580; the Leo Center for Caring, 1500 Portland Ave., Rochester, NY 14621; or the charity of your choice. The family would like to express their sincere thanks to the caring doctors and nurses at both Rochester General Hospital and Leo Center hospice care for helping our Mother to be comfortable in her last days on this Earth and for preparing us in understanding her dying process. The family would also like to express their grateful thanks to all the nurses, aides, dining room staff, and administrators at Cherry Ridge in Webster for the wonderful patience, kindnesses and care they gave our Mother in the time she lived there. Goodbye “Ramblin’ Rose”, I’ll see you “When I Dream” on those “Country Roads”.