Claire Marie Hayman Lincoln

Surrounded by her family, Claire Marie (Hayman) Lincoln passed away peacefully at age 91. Claire was born and raised in Ontario, Canada, where she was valedictorian of her high school class. She loved her years as a stewardess with American Airlines, during the golden years of air travel, flying between New York, Los Angeles and Mexico City. Claire met Ned Lincoln in 1956, and they enjoyed a romantic courtship and engagement, socializing and boating on Lake Erie. After their wedding in 1958 and a brief stint in California, Claire and Ned settled in Dearborn, Michigan and later in Northville, Michigan, where they raised their daughters, Amy and Beth. As the girls grew up, Claire completed her associates degree and went on to become an RN and work at Harper Hospital in Detroit. Following Ned’s retirement in 1987, they moved to Durham, North Carolina where Claire worked at Duke Hospital, provided home health care, and later served older adults in the area by providing foot care at retirement centers. 

Claire had a strong Christian faith and was an active member at the First Presbyterian Churches of Dearborn and Northville, Michigan. After moving to Durham, North Carolina and joining Triangle Grace Church (formerly Triangle Presbyterian), Claire helped to establish a support network for those providing eldercare – Christians Helping Aging Parents (CHAPS), which was a meaningful resource for many. 

In her free time, Claire loved more than anything to spend time with her grandchildren, playing word games and baking cookies. She also enjoyed playing tennis, weaving countless traditional baskets, and creating and tending vast flower and vegetable gardens at her homes in Northville and Durham.

Claire is preceded in death by her husband Neil (Ned) Lincoln, her parents, Alden and Mae Hayman, and her brother Ronald Hayman. She is survived by her siblings, Ken Hayman (Edwina), Patricia Pascoe (Glenn), Donna Ishida (Danny), Doug Hayman (Jane), and Deborah Passmore (Tom); daughters Amy Banks (Johnny), and Beth Boyea (Tom); grandchildren Jacob Wiseman (Amanda), Marie Brown (Robbie), Alix Boyea, Sarah Johnson (Daniel), Adrienne Kline (Greg), Mara Oxentenko (Jon), Cole Boyea, Samuel Wiseman; and six great-grandchildren.

Claire recently relocated from Durham to Camden, South Carolina to be closer to Amy and was provided exceptional loving care by the wonderful staff of The Colonial at Old Camden, for which we will be forever grateful. She had a lovely view of Historic Camden where her great-great-great-great-great grandfather fought in The Battle of Camden for The Loyalists during the Revolutionary War.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a gift of time or treasure in Claire’s honor to your local memory care facility.

 The family plans to have a private memorial at a later date

 Kornegay Funeral Home, Camden Chapel, is assisting the family.