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Sep 14, 1954 - Dec 29, 1968
Claude was just a boy of 14 when he took his life. Sunday evening, December 29, 1968, while sitting with a friend in the front seat of a car parked in the circular driveway of Claremont's Memorial Park, Claude shot himself in the head. He died instantly from a .22 bullet through his right temple.
Claude was a former student at El Roble Intermediate School, attending Claremont High School at the time of his death.
To this day, he is loved, and he is missed.
A winter's day
In a deep and dark December
I am alone
Gazing from my window
To the streets below
On a freshly fallen, silent shroud of snow
I am a rock
I am an island
- Paul Simon
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Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery - San Diego, CA
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=21968377
 
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John Lessley (1970)
It's been almost 50 years since Claude took his own life in Memorial Park in late Dec 1968. A few of us (Patty Penn (Moore), Bill Steendam, Greg Wickes and Ruthie Breslin were just commenting about that one Facebook. He was such a good hearted soul, always a loyal friend but his struggles with depression those last few weeks took their toll. Who know what Claude good things could have been capable of if he had lived longer. Anyway, I wanted to say a few words on behalf of my friends who Claude knew from school and the Park. To me, the good days of Memorial Park as a place for us youth to hang out ended that afternoon. We all love and miss Claude and I hope he would be happy to know that many of the people he cared about the most are doing well and living happy lives despite losing him so young.
Mark Wicksted (1972)
How sad. How very sad. I did not know him, having only moved to Claremont six months prior to his death. I soon learned of his tragic death, however, and it like like a dark cloud that hung over the high school the entire time I went to Claremont High (1968 - 1972). How can a 14-year-old who hasn't even begun to live his life decide to suddenly check out? Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. It's too bad that the adults in his life couldn't get him the help he so desperately needed. May his soul rest in peace.