Published May 28, 2021
MELROSE — Claire Twist, a 40-year resident of Melrose, passed away on Friday unexpectedly at Salem Hospital. Twist was a native of Malden and was a lifelong educator. She started her career as a schoolteacher in Lakewood, California before teaching at the St. Mary’s, Lincoln and Winthrop schools in Melrose. She retired as a first-grade teacher at the Winthrop school in 2014.
In 1972, Claire married Craig Twist, a United States Marine originally from Audubon, Iowa. They remained together, raising sons Michael and Brian, until his death in 2012. Her heart belonged to her grandchildren, Michael’s daughter Courtney and Brian’s son Garrett.
With various members of her family, Claire vacationed to places such as Ireland, Alaska, Hawaii and Walt Disney World. Despite those travels, her true second home was Wells, Maine, where she spent summers as a child and revisited in her adult years after the Twist family made a second home in that coastal community. She was a lifelong fan of the Boston Bruins, specifically retired hockey legend Bobby Orr, and passionately cheered for the team in the playoffs during her final days.
Claire leaves behind a loving family including her son Michael, his significant other Melissa and her daughter Ella, of Medford; son Brian, and his wife Ellen, of Swampscott; grandchildren Courtney and Garrett; sister Mary Ann Thibeault and her husband David of Mashpee; brother James Rooney and his wife Melinda of Duxbury along with two nieces and three nephews – who included her longtime caregiver Danny Thibeault as well as lifelong friends Mary “Mickey” Matthews and Ellie Cosgrove.
Visitation will be held at the Gately Funeral Home, 79 W. Foster St. Melrose, on Monday, May 24, 2021 from 4-7 p.m. A mass of Christian burial will be held at St. Mary’s Church, 4 Herbert St. Melrose, on Tuesday, May 25 at 10 a.m. Burial at Wyoming Cemetery in Melrose. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend. Memorial contributions may be made in Claire’s name to the Malden Firefighters Local 902 Scholarship Fund, 1 Sprague St., Malden, MA 02148. To sign online condolence visit www.gatelyfh.com.
