Francoise Leclerc Klumb

Beloved mother,

sister and friend

passed away on March

24, 2010 surrounded

by her loving family

after a long battle

with cancer at the

age of 59. She was

the daughter of

Jacqueline and Robert

Leclerc of Paris,

France. Francoise

and her siblings were

born in Tunisia and

moved with her family to Altadena. Her family then moved

to Newport Beach where she graduated from high school and

she lived in Corona del Mar for her adult life.

Francoise had a very full career at University of

California, Irvine where she began as a clerk in the University

Extension Registration department and rose to the ranks of

department Director and Registrar. She took early retirement

and came back to UCI to work at the Center for Educational

Partnerships. While at the University, Francoise made several

life long friends.

Francoise had great passions for impressionist and plein

air painting, classical and jazz music. She was truly an artist

at heart and it was reflected in everything she did.

Her father Robert was a member of the South Shore

Yacht Club and she and her family and friends spent many

pleasant Sunday afternoons on the Galatea sailing the

Newport Harbor and coastline while listening to her father’s

favorite Scott Joplin piano rags.

She became affiliated and active in Orange County

Autism organizations to ensure the best training and education

possible for her son Matthew. After working long hard days

at UCI she would use the internet to research autism and

resources late into the night. She was looking forward to

seeing her son Matthew graduate from high school, she was so

very proud of him. She was also very proud of her daughter

Marguerite who graduated from the University of California,

Irvine in 2008.

In the last few years she became an active member of

Alanon both giving and receiving incredible support from the

women and men in her program group.

Francoise was such a kind and loving soul. She

experienced many challenges and adversities in her life, but

always thought of others first. She was always the one to reach

out to console and comfort others and became quick friends

with everyone she met. She will be sincerely missed, by all

who have been so very blessed to have had her in their lives.

She is survived by her daughter, Marguerite Klumb and

son, Matthew Klumb, Pete Klumb, sister Anne Newland, brother in law

Ted Newland, brother Henry Leclerc, sister Marie Elizabeth

Russell, nieces Jennifer, Jessica and Amanda, nephew Jason,

brother John Leclerc and sister in law Cheri Leclerc, and

nephew John Michael Leclerc.

A memorial service is scheduled for April 8th at 10:00

a.m. at St. John Vianney Chapel, 314 Marine Avenue,

Newport Beach, CA (949) 675-2221. The chapel is located

on Balboa Island. Donations can be made to the Autism

Society of America or the American Cancer Society.