Clare A. Huber

A celebration of life service for Clare Augusta Huber, nee Fick, will be held April 24 at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Washington at 10 a.m. Clare was born November 12,1930 in Rich Fountain, MO.  She died April 13, 2021 at the age of 90.

Clare was the youngest of seven children.  She grew up on a farm in the small Osage County community of Rich Fountain, about fifteen miles southeast of Jefferson City. In her youth, Clare drove tractors, bailed hay, milked cows and helped her dad with his trucking business.  Anything to stay away from cooking, cleaning and sewing was her motto.  

Clare went to grade school in Rich Fountain and attended Westphalia High School, about 10 miles away.  She lived in the convent there and helped the nuns with chores to earn her room and board. In high school she met the love of her life, Dr. William “Bill” Huber.  They didn’t start dating until college, but they quickly fell in love, and were married on July 26, 1952. 

That same year Clare became a certified registered radiologic technologist after 24 months of training in Jefferson City. The two then moved to St. Louis where Bill went to dental school at Saint Louis University. After graduating, Bill joined the U.S. Navy Dental Corps and the two went to Camp Pendleton in California where he was stationed for two years.

In 1956, Clare and Bill moved to Washington, where Bill started his dental practice. Clare was a stay-at-home mom for many years, and worked part-time at St. Francis Hospital on the night shift in the X-ray Department. When most of her seven children were well along in school, she decided to pursue a career in real estate. Clare got her broker/sales license and worked primarily in Franklin County, where her greatest joy was in helping young couples find their first homes.

Clare was also very involved in her parish and the community.  She was an active member of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish.  Clare served on its first advisory board, was choir director for several years, and was a member of the Home and School Association. She also served on the Parish Council.

In 1972, she became a member of a 12-person task force that started the Meals-on-Wheels program in Washington. Initially, Clare chaired the client committee for the group.  Eventually she became the program coordinator and was responsible for all the bookkeeping and financial reporting up until 2016. One of her proudest coordinating responsibilities was meals being delivered seven days a week and all holidays.

In 2001, because of her work with Meals on Wheels, Clare was given the Spirit of Mercy Award from the hospital. Clare and the program also received the Washingtonian Award at the Washington Area Chamber of Commerce banquet in 2015.

Clare also served on the Washington Library Board and was president for two years. She was a member of the Salvation Army board, a member of the Health and Wellness Committee at St. Francis Borgia Church, a member of the Loving Hearts Outreach board and served on the United Way board.  In 2007, Clare and Bill started helping with the hospice program at Mercy.  The two helped comfort many local patients for almost 5 years in their volunteer roles.

Clare is survived by her husband, Bill, her seven children and sons- and daughters-in-law.  They include: Mary Kay and Kim Daugherty, Monica and John Swoboda, Michele and Dennis Koelling, Martin and Krista Huber, Moira and Robert Vossbrink, Mike and Nancy Huber, and Matt and Lauren Huber.  She also leaves behind 21 Grandchildren -- Kelly, Mike; William (Billy), Thomas, Jack, Nick; Andy, Hannah, Emma; Joe; Ellen, Julie, Maggie, Robbie; Bart, Amy, Erica; Helena, Mira, Augustine (Gus), Abram (Abe).16 Great Grandchildren -- Henry, Charlotte, Betsy, Davie Grace, William (Butch); James; Luke, Logan; Charlie, William (Liam); Kolbie; Theo; Katherine; Thomas, Joanna (JoJo); William (Will)

Clare was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph and Helen Fick, nee Bexten, and her sisters Julianna Fick, Margaret Fick and Pauline Moench, and brothers Albert, Arthur and Joseph Fick.

A memorial gathering for Clare will be held at 9 a.m. at Our Lady of Lourdes before the mass.   In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Washington Meals on Wheels, Our Lady of Lourdes Church or Mercy Hospice.

A private burial will be held at a later date. The Huber family was served by Nieburg-Vitt, Miller Funeral Home in Washington.

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