The following are photos collected of Claire Van Zant. They are taken mostly from yearbooks, newspapers and photos she gave me. There are a few that are "photos of photos"-- images I took with my phone of framed photos displayed at her memorial. Her surviving family owns these images. I have a few more that she gave me that I will add at some point in the future.
"THE YOUNG RAF INTELLIGENCE OFFICER" Van Zant joked that she chose to enlist in the RAF becasue "I decided that Air Force Blue would suit me better-- I thought I looked better in blue." |
"WELCOME TO THE HUMANITIES" This was a her yearbook photo in 1981. She was the same age as I am as I post this image. How can that be? |
"MRS. SANTA" Taken during a holiday assembly in the late 1970s, Biology teacher Arden Welty and Claire were voted "Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus. This photo shows them dancing a polka. I heard they were magnificant and I love this photo because it shows her wonderful sense of humor. |
"CLAIRE'S ROYAL AIR FORCE BLAZER BADGE" I noted that you can buy new versions of these at upscale London shops. Nevermind-- this is the REAL thing and Claire was intensely proud of it. The photo was taken at her memorial. |
"CLAIRE'S STRENGTH AND STAY" With her husband, Robert Van Zant, (Humanities teacher at Rochester Community College.) I seem to remember this photo was taken about the time Claire retired. |
"HUMANITIES I CLASS" This photo was taken my sophomore year. I don't really remember the guys featured but it shows "Lady Claire" perched at the end of the long table she kept for papers and texts. From here, she delivered her lectures and reigned supreme over all classes! |
"CLAIRE (DALLING) VICKERS" There's no way of telling without her surviving family whether she was a married woman or not at the time of this photo. Claire's first husband-- last name Vickers-- died in WWII. |
"THE EYES ARE THE SAME" The Rochester Post Bulletin ran this photo with her obituary. I presume it's one of the last photos taken of her. Her beautiful, beautiful eyes remain the same. |
"THE IMPERIAL NIGHTINGALE" In 1979, John Uhlenhopp played the Emperor in Van Zant's production of The Imperial Nightingale. In addition to directing, Claire designed the exquisite make-up you see here. |
"SATISFIED TEACHER" In 1982, The Advocate of Mayo featured Van Zant in a brief story that focused on her journey from England to America and her creative ventures. "I have lived. I have seen. I have suffered." was the only, maddeningly vague allusion she made to the war. |
"HERE COMES THE BRIDE" I haven't received confirmation but I am guessing this is Claire at her wedding to Bob Van Zant. I'd also hazard a guess that that is her brother giving her away. |
"SUMMER IN ENGLAND IS FOR THE BIRDS" Every summer, Claire and Bob would make a return pilgrimage to Claire's motherland. Here they are, hobnobbing with the avian elite near the abbey (?) cathedral (?) |
"UNDER COVER" The story, so I'm told, is that "Lady Claire" pinned her own hair under this blonde wig each day. Apparently, it was not due to hair loss or any other follicle malady. It was efficiency. Her real hair was quite long and she apparently felt that it was easier to cover it up than it was to style it. Regardless of the veracity of that explanation, she was seen on very, very, very rare occasions sporting the "no wig" look. I hear the real thing was quite pretty. |
"LIVING THE GOOD LIFE" Claire and Bob in retirement |
"ADDING A TOUCH OF COLOUR" Claire painted, composed libretti, acted, directed, debated experts in their own field and won. I felt it only appropriate to add a splash of colour. |
"YES, SHE DID INDEED KEEP A PORTRAIT OF THE QUEEN IN HER HOME" There was a rumor as well that she and Bob hung an oil painting in the garage. That kind of wry sense of humor is very much like her. The guest bathroom was decorated with a Japanese motif-Bob called it their "Peehouse of the August Moon." |
"MY MUM" This photo was taken of us on my last day of high school. |