Clare M.S. Fewtrell

Clare Mary Sanders Fewtrell, Associate Professor Emeritus of Pharmacology, Cornell University, died Friday October 7, 2022, from ovarian cancer. She was born in 1948 in her grandmother’s cottage in Driffield in the Cotswold district of Gloucestershire, England, to her mother, Lorna Brigstocke Fewtrell, and father, Group Captain E. C. S. (Tony) Fewtrell, who was posted in S. Wales. Her brother and best friend, Nicholas, was born in 1951. The family lived in Iraq, Cyprus, and Romania as well as numerous locations in the UK as her father rose to finally serve as the Defense and Air Attaché in the British embassy in Stockholm, Sweden, where Clare spent her gap year. Her father then became the first Administrator of Winchester cathedral prior to his retirement.

As children Clare and Nicholas were educated in UK boarding schools. Clare met her lifelong friend Jill Hows at an all-girls boarding school in Calne, England when they were 12 years old. As an adventure Clare persuaded Jill to help build a treehouse in a beech tree, they called it Ramshackle. They managed to keep the treehouse a secret. One night they escaped from their dormitory (down the fire escape) and having slept out in Ramshackle managed to get back to their dormitory safe and undetected. This was the start of many adventures as they continued to meet once or twice most years and embarked on many classic adventures mostly involving sailing or skiing on both sides of the Atlantic.

Clare was predeceased by her parents as well as her brother, tragically in a house fire aged only 40, and sister-in-law, Amanda last year. She is survived by her niece, Louisa Hunter, husband Reuben and their 4 children, Clare’s great nieces and nephews Sophie, Alex, Rory, and Martha, as well as by her nephew, James Fewtrell and his wife, Danielle.

Clare was the kindest and most considerate daughter, aunt, and friend. She never forgot birthdays and always sent her friends and family postcards when she was on holidays. She was very well organised and planned her life including her holidays carefully making the most of all her spare time. She was hugely committed to her family in the UK, making several trips back each year for Christmas and wide-ranging international holidays with her parents. Her brother’s sudden death in 1991 was a terrible shock for the whole family but she maintained a close relationship with her sister-in-law and niece and nephew for whom she was a much-loved Aunt. Her arrival at Christmas was always much anticipated as Clare was the most imaginative and generous gift giver. One year a homemade potato gun somehow made it through UK customs and was a memorable gift!  Louisa inherited Clare’s love for sailing after a summer of lessons at Ithaca Yacht Club and was so grateful her family could spend time there with Clare in 2019. James remembers hosting Clare at his ski chalet in Austria where fellow guests were dazzled by her skiing skills! In 2016, despite being a full time academic, Clare found time to travel to the UK every 2-3 weeks to care for her mother during her final illness. As Jill noted it was lovely to see Clare and her mother together enjoying each other’s company.

Clare received B.Sc. with First Class Honours in Biochemistry and Physiology in 1970 from Bedford College, University of London where she captained the women’s sailing team. In 1975 she was awarded D. Phil. in Pharmacology, Oxford University. Clare migrated to the United States in 1977 where she was a Visiting Associate in Dr. Henry Metzger's laboratory at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD. While in Maryland Clare became a lover of the Chesapeake Bay and was active with the NIH Sailing Association. She was a great friend sharing birthday and holiday celebrations at Joan and Will’s home where she was a reader for their wedding. There were  many wonderful sailing cruises in the Chesapeake Bay, the Caribbean and Great Lakes with Joan, Joye, Amy, Linda, Ron, Allison and many others.

Clare moved to Ithaca, NY, in 1982 where she was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmacology, Cornell University. In 1988 she was promoted to Associate Professor with tenure. During her scientific career Clare contributed important findings regarding the role of mast cell calcium in translating environmental stimuli to cellular secretions in allergic responses. At Cornell Clare was an advocate for diversity. She led the Summer Research Apprentice Program from 1995 to 2003, which aimed at attracting minority high school students into veterinary medicine. Clare established and, until retirement, ran the College’s Peer Support Network. In 2016 she received the Academic Service Award from the College of Veterinary Medicine. In retirement she continued her service: from 2017-2022 she was Secretary of the College Faculty, College of Veterinary Medicine.

Clare loved sailing. During the summer, Clare lived in a primitive cottage on Cayuga Lake, aptly known as "the shack".  She was a prominent member of the Ithaca Yacht Club, racing her J/24 , "Mehitabel", with considerable success. She acted as harbormaster, maintained the club's sailboats, ran work parties, supported charity events, and much, much more. As harbormaster Clare could be feisty.  On a boat she was in her element: relaxed, skilled, and great company.

Beyond Ithaca, Clare loved sailing, particularly in Scottish waters. With US and UK friends she regularly organized cruises in the Caribbean, each of the North American Great Lakes, all regions of the Chesapeake Bay, Greek islands, the Faroe Islands, Norway, and beyond. Every fall, when the crowds had left, she and a group of friends went sailing on the Chesapeake, nominally to look for ducks. In 2018 for her 70th birthday she organized a wonderful trip to St. Kilda’s in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland, a dual UNESCO World Heritage Site for its natural and cultural significance.

In 2022 Clare managed to continue her world travels. In February she, Lynn, Joye, and Joan went on a trip to Antarctica, enjoying the incredible scenery, birds and wildlife. In June she met cousins for 2 weeks travel through the fjords of Norway. After returning for a chemotherapy treatment, she went to the UK for [what turned out to be] a final visit with family and friends.

Clare had a wonderful alto singing voice and a love of early music. She sang with the Ithaca Community Chorus, for which she acted as Librarian, and its Chamber Singers, and with the Cornell Chorale. She helped organize a small  group, the Oriana Singers, that met regularly for 25 years to sing madrigals and give performances of Renaissance Music. She served on Cornell University's Faculty Committee on Music for many years and was a volunteer for the Cayuga Chamber Orchestra.

In retirement Clare took birding classes and did many bird walks/hikes with the Cornell community of birders. For Danby, she served as a very active Chair of their Conservation Advisory Council. Clare unfailingly organized colleagues and friends for local theater performances for 35+ years, and whether the performances were great or uncomfortably bad, the best part was getting together for dinner, especially at the shack.

As is obvious from this small tribute, Clare’s accomplishments were distinguished and wide ranging. Yet she was very modest and humble, living simply and frugally herself whilst always generous to others.  Clare M S Fewtrell’s passing has been a great sadness for all her friends and family as well as the community groups for which she was an invaluable volunteer and organizer. She will be greatly missed, and we will never forget her.

Gifts in memory of Clare M S Fewtrell can be sent to

Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors without Borders.  https://www.msf.org/donate

Hospicare  https://www.hospicare.org/donate/donationform/

Ithaca Community Chorus  https://acithaca.org/support/

Finger Lakes Land Trust    https://www.fllt.org/donate/

A memorial service is planned for Anabel Taylor chapel, Cornell University, on Saturday Nov. 12, 2022 at 10:30am.

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Bangs Funeral Home, Ithaca, NY