Our beloved Claire Marie Dutton, born Oct. 3, 1988, in a great rush, at Moscow, died very unexpectedly near Bellingham, Wash., on June 27, 2014.

Daughter of Melinda and Dave, and wonderful younger sister to Elizabeth, and to her half sister, Anne, she will be greatly missed, and was loved by all who knew her or met her.

A graduate of Pullman High School, 2007, and Western Washington University, 2011, in sociology and criminal justice, she chose to live in Bellingham, which she always loved. She made her life all about enjoying and helping or serving others, whether it be friends, family or just people on the street. She had a supremely kind and sensitive heart and a mischievous nature. She was a sparkly spirit to all who knew her.

She worked with great people in places of varied nature RE/MAX offices in Pullman and Bellingham, and, in Bellingham, at the wonderfully supportive Bellingham Aviation Services, The Halloween Store, Smith KIA and the Honey Salon. She always did her best and was a total people person. She was nearing completion of studies to obtain her real estate license and had hoped to go into that field. We hope and pray that now she has found the happiness and peace she deserves.

She will be forever missed and never forgotten. Claire, our Bear, is survived by her mom and dad, Melinda and Dave, in Pullman; her big sister, and idol, Elizabeth (Travis), in Burien, Wash.; her half-sis, Anne (Neil), and her nieces in Baltimore; her fiance, best friend, and guardian angel, Taylor Creighton, in Bellingham; by all her loving uncles, aunts and cousins; and by her huge family of friends, not the least of whom are her "Bellingham mom," Kathleen Ruiz; dear, dear friends Sharon, Amy, KJo, Megi, Rikka, Ashwood, Shea, Diana and so many others. We appreciate and thank you for your love and support through the years for Claire and for us now.

A celebration of life for Claire will take place at noon Aug. 24 at Sunnyside Park in Pullman. All are welcome to visit and share thoughts, stories, and snacks. An earlier memorial for Claire took place July 5 in Bellingham, and there was a celebration on that day as well.

We thank everyone for their huge outreach of support, kindness, love and donations. We hope people will continue to consider making a donation on Claire's behalf to NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness), or to the fund we have established to go toward the local chapter of NAMI through GiveForward at "Claire's Light." The website is: https://www.giveforward.com/fundraiser/6025/claire-s-light. We only ask that you hold tightly to your family, however it is composed, and celebrate your lives, and loves, as they are so precious and fragile.