Claudette (Claude) Marie Bourseleth, 78, of White Lake, Michigan, passed away peacefully in her sleep on April 15th 2024 after a brief battle with ALS.

Claude was born on February 13th, 1946 to Lawrence and Mildred Flum in Detroit, Michigan. She was the third of 6 children and was raised in Detroit and Oak Park. Claude graduated from Our Lady of Mercy High School in 1964 and began her career working for a plumbing company as an office administrator. Claude enjoyed traveling with her family on ski trips in the winter and to the lakes in the summer. The sisters were skilled in sewing and would often spend their time making matching dresses and trying to copy the latest McCalls pattern design.

Her childhood memories are fondly tied to spending family time with all her aunts and cousins and enjoying the closeness of such a large family. It was one of her aunts that was best friends with her future mother in law that made the introductions where Claude met the love of her life, the late Thomas Bourseleth. They were married August 22nd, 1970. They were together 15 years until Tom’s quick battle with cancer and passing in 1986.

Claude and Tom welcomed three girls into their family in the 1970’s: Anne, Claire and Ruth. They moved from Detroit to White Lake in the search of having space for the girls to play outside and enjoy the lake living to share Tom's love of boating and fishing. While the house was full of barbies for many years, they still found a way to raise their girls to appreciate the outdoors with hiking and skiing and enjoy many nights camping year round. During the girls' elementary years, Claude was an active classroom parent and participated as the picture lady sharing her love of art with the students. She also made sure to bring the girls to the art museums whenever they visited a new town and could be found with her stencil and oil paints in the living room at nights.

After Tom’s passing, Claude was a young single mom trying to do her best to raise three spirited young girls. She went to work at Hudson’s in the drapery department for several years before deciding to pursue her secondary education and obtain a bachelors in education from Eastern Michigan University. There she found her passion to teach special education students and especially focused on those with visual impairments. She then continued her educational pursuits and obtained a Masters in Education at Oakland University. She spent her teaching career at The School District for the City of Pontiac and then retired in July 1, 2008.

She was an active member of the Church of the Holy Spirit in Highland, MI for almost 50 years. From her own grief after her husband passed, she found great comfort in service to others with the Funeral ministry and participating in grief support groups as well. She was also active in the Women's Club and participated on many of the religious pilgrimages the church coordinated.

Claude was deep in her convictions and beliefs and fought tirelessly for many years to obtain a service connected death for Tom’s passing from his time in the Army in Vietnam. She finally was approved this year and should be commended for her resilience and all the detailed notes she kept over the years for this mission and not giving up when so many doors were closed.

She was a woman of service and also raised two puppies for the Leader Dogs of the Blind to help those with visual impairments benefit from having a seeing eye dog.

Claude was diagnosed with ALS in February 2024 and her body rapidly declined over the last few months. Her bravery and conviction of faith held her in comfort during these moments when her body failed to respond. She was able to express her deep love for her family and friends and wanted to let everyone know she loved them dearly. She touched the lives of many from her students at school to her church groups. She was always there to help those in need.

While we mourn the loss of Claudette's physical presence, we take comfort in knowing that she has been called home to be with her Heavenly Father and reunited with her beloved. May her legacy of faith continue to inspire us all, reminding us of the power of belief, the beauty of redemption, and the promise of eternal life.

Claudette is survived by her three children, Anne (Jeff) Mitchell, Claire (Terry) Richardson and Ruth Bourseleth, her four grandchildren: three grandsons Emmett, Jordan and Donovan and one granddaughter Camille. She is also survived by her loving sisters Barbara Ashley, Mary Banny, Patricia (Eric) Bushon and her departed brothers Jerome Flum and Thomas Flum, brother and sister in law Dennis and Rosemarie Robak, countless nieces, nephews, cousins and extended family will deeply miss her.

Claudette loved flowers so while the family did not want to discourage this offering they also wanted to share that she wanted to donate to a scholarship fund for single moms going to college.

A fund will be set up in her honor, details are still pending.

Visitation will be held at Lynch & Sons Funeral Home, 404 E. Liberty St., Milford, MI 48381 on Wednesday, April 17th, 2024 from 2 - 7pm. A Rosary will be held at 6pm.

Funeral Mass at Catholic Church of the Holy Spirit, 3700 Harvey Lake Road, Highland, MI 48356, on Thursday, April 18th, 2024 at 11am with gathering beginning at 10am.

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