Clare Irene Trudeau Albert
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ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Clare Irene Trudeau Albert, 82, of Asheville, N.C., formerly of Metairie, La., and Adams, Mass., died peacefully Friday, Nov. 16, 2012, at her home at Deerfield Retirement Community in Asheville.
She was born Dec. 16, 1929, in Adams, the daughter of Henri and Anna (Gagnon) Trudeau. She graduated from high school in Adams and attended nursing school in Albany, N.Y. She was married to Ben Livingston from 1949 to 1969. They had two children, Susan Ann Livingston and Steven George Livingston. The couple lived in Ohio and New Jersey before moving to New Orleans.
On April 8, 1972, Clare married Matthew Albert in New Orleans. Matthew and Clare moved to Metairie, where they lived together until Matthew’s death in 1986. Clare continued to live in their house until she was forced out by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
After the hurricane, Clare moved to Dixon to be closer to her grandson, Jeffrey, and his family. The Illinois winters were too much for her and she longed to move back south, which she did in 2008. In 2011, she moved to Asheville to be closer to her son.
Clare enjoyed playing duplicate bridge and was proud of her Bronze Life Master status. She enjoyed the company of her bridge friends and traveled with them extensively.
Clare was known as Granny to her four grandchildren (and their friends) and as GG to her seven great-grandchildren. She enjoyed entertaining family and friends in Metairie and welcomed everyone into her home. She frequently hosted a sumptuous meal on Sunday afternoon to go along with watching football and eating ice cream. She always had chocolate chip cookies ready for her grandsons and their friends when they arrived from their long Mardi Gras road trips from northern Illinois. She made sure there was plenty to eat when she hosted “Seafood Night at Granny’s.”
One of Clare’s favorite memories was of the surprise 80th birthday party that was held in her honor in New Orleans. Her family from across the country and friends from nearby gathered to celebrate her life.
Her favorite hobbies were making miniature dollhouses, cross-stitching and knitting. In fact, every Christmas, family members eagerly anticipated getting “Granny slippers” as a gift.
Clare is survived by her first husband, Ben Livingston of Pittsburgh; and her children, Steve (Lynnora Bierce) Livingston of Asheville and Susan Livingston of Berkeley, Calif. Surviving grandchildren include Jeffrey (DeAnne) White of Dixon, Jason (Colleen) White of Acton, Mass., Gretchen (Martin) Gadecki of Pflugerville, Texas, and Daniel Livingston of Orlando, Fla. Great-grandchildren include Jarod and Trevor White of Dixon, Julien, Connor and Graham White of Acton and Bethany Peterson and Lindsey Livingston of Pflugerville.
Clare was preceded in death by her parents; her sister, Jeannette; and her husband, Matthew.
A private Thanksgiving celebration of life for the family will be Friday in Asheville. A public memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Dec. 4 in St. Giles Chapel at Deerfield Retirement Community.
A memorial has been established to Mercy Home for Boys and Girls in Chicago.
