Claire V. (Ackerly) Gagnon-Sjostedt
February 3, 1931 – September 29, 2025
In Fairhaven, MA, Claire V. (Ackerly) Gagnon-Sjostedt, 94, formerly of Cotuit, MA, and Quincy, MA, passed away peacefully on Monday, September 29, 2025, at Our Lady’s Haven Nursing Home after a long illness.
She was predeceased by her first husband, Robert H. Gagnon, in 1974, and her second husband, William L. Sjostedt, in 2013. Born in Brighton, MA, she was the daughter of the late John and Mary (Lawson) Ackerly.
Claire raised her family in Quincy, MA, and after her husband’s passing in 1974, she worked for many years at the Veterans Administration Office in Government Center, Boston. She made friends wherever she worked and was admired for her kindness and welcoming nature.
She loved to sew and knit, and was also an avid ice skater, continuing to enjoy skating well into her later years. Claire cherished her home in Cotuit, where she found great joy in building and caring for her beautiful home, as well as enjoying the Cape Cod beaches. She especially loved sitting on Loop Beach with her family, delighting in the sun, sand, and sea. In her retirement years, she also worked part-time at Janney Montgomery, and she and Bill enjoyed traveling together.
She is survived by her children: Denise Gagnon of Wareham; Janice Gagnon-Warr and her husband, John, of Fairhaven; Robert J. Gagnon of Quincy; and Paul H. Gagnon and his wife, Cathleen, of Wareham. She also leaves behind her sister, Barbara Tierney of West Roxbury, and her brother, Gus Ackerly and his wife Linda of Minnesota.
She was the loving grandmother of David Williams, Jennifer Tomaso, Michael Williams, Alyson Warr-Manteiga, and Matthew Warr. She is also survived by eight great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by her beloved daughter, Renee A. Williams, as well as her sisters Dorothy, Ruthie, Arlene, Patricia, and Jean, and her brother, Jack.
Claire was deeply loved and will be remembered for her quiet strength, devotion to her family, and the love she gave so freely throughout her long life.
Burial will take place at Mosswood Cemetery in Cotuit, MA, and services will be private.