November 19, 1940 – March 18, 2026
Claire L. (Foster) Goldsmith, 85, a lifelong resident of Reading, passed away after a lengthy illness on Wednesday, March 18. She was the loving wife of James Goldsmith.
Born in Winchester and raised in Reading, she was the daughter of the late Raymond and the late Margaret (Blaisdell) Foster. Claire was a graduate of Reading Memorial High School, where she served as the Class Marshal.
Claire graduated from the Bryant & Stratton Secretarial School in Boston and began her secretarial career. She retired as the Head of Secretarial Services for American Mutual Insurance Company in Wakefield.
Claire was an active and faithful member of the Union Congregational Church in North Reading. She was a longtime rummage sale volunteer, as well as volunteering at other church functions. She enjoyed gardening and being outdoors. She was a past member of the Reading Garden Club.
In addition to her husband Jim, Claire is survived by two daughters, Debbie Duval and her husband Ken of Ipswich, and Karen Sartell and her husband Scott of Reading. She is also survived by five grandchildren, Sara Couris and her husband Nick of Rowley, Justin Berg and his wife Caroline of Alpharetta, GA, Ben Berg and his wife Diana of Reading, Nicolas Sartell and his wife Melody Jeng of Chelmsford, and Olivia Sartell of Seattle, WA; and six great-grandchildren, Jack, Nate, Jonathan, Annabelle, Lilly, and Teddy. Claire also survives her brother, Robert Foster of Florida.
A memorial service will be held at the Union Congregational Church, 148 Haverhill Street, North Reading on Saturday, March 28 at 11:00 am. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Claire’s memory may be made to Beth Israel Lahey Health at Home Hospice, 8 Presidential Way, 2nd Floor, Woburn, MA 01801 (bilhathome.org/giving) Arrangements by the Douglass, Edgerley & Bessom Funeral Home, Reading. For online guestbook, visit www.johnbdouglassfuneralhome.com
