Doris Eileen Clausson

Doris Eileen Clausson, aka Eileen or “Memaw” passed away peacefully in her sleep, at her home, The Shaire Center in Lenoir, NC, on Sunday, November 24, 2024, surrounded by her family. Born March 1st, 1934, in Washington DC, to Gabriel Osborn Davis and Virginia (Ragland) Davis, she was the eldest to her only sibling Ann Davis Grover. Although born in DC, Eileen was the granddaughter of farmer Lee Ragland, aka Grandaddy Ragland, father of Virginia Ragland who was one of 15 siblings, and grew up in Buckingham County, Virginia with deep roots going back to the first Ragland settlement in 1670. Although Washington, DC was her residence, Buckingham was “home” where many summers, holidays and family celebrations were held during her youth.

At the age of 17, Eileen met Howard “Walter” Clausson through mutual friends and it was love at first sight. After a brief courtship, they decided to elope, fearing disapproval of their young age and brief relationship, and were wed on New Year’s Day, 1952. They were married 69 years, until Walt’s death on April 12th, 2021. The first of their four children, Drenda, was born nearly a year later, and Steven followed a year and a half later, followed by Wade 2 years after that. Their youngest, Laurie, came along nearly 6 years after Wade.

Eileen and Walt bought their first and only home in Woodbridge, Virginia, in 1959, where they lived and raised their family for 37 years. Eileen was incredibly creative and talented, and enjoyed sewing, crocheting, quilting, and making floral arrangements. She was a wiz with budgeting, stretching their meager income in the early days to provide for their family of 6 without incurring any debt. She was an incredible cook, always pulling together amazing meals with whatever she had on hand, making flavorful, delicious meals with pennies. She was an award-winning baker, per her children and grandchildren, renown for her world-famous snickerdoodles, apple cake and homemade apple butter that she made from the apples she and Pop would gather every fall as an annual tradition when they went apple picking at an orchard in the nearby foothills of the Blue Ridge mountains. She and Pop loved to watch Redskins games, have their kids and grandkids over for family celebrations, backyard BBQs, and especially during the holidays. Memaw and Pop always made Christmas special, a lasting memory still treasured by her children and grandchildren.

In addition to being a homemaker, Eileen worked several jobs, as a bank teller, a Beauty Consultant Representative for Avon, a bookkeeper for a Fort Belvoir florist, an Inmate Finance manager for the DC Department of Corrections, and as a bookkeeper for Brandon’s Flowers in Woodbridge for 20 years.

In 1994, Walt and Eileen decided to buy an RV and travel. They purchased a small lot at Four Winds campground in Caroline County, Virginia, where they made many lifelong friends and enjoyed 27 years of community, cookouts, parties, friendships, family celebrations and RVing. They were snowbirds between Four Winds and Myrtle Beach, enjoying friendships and community at Apache Campground in North Myrtle Beach, where they found their beloved Pepe, a Yorkshire terrier puppy, whom they adopted when he was just 8 weeks old, who was their adored “baby” for 18 years.

Memaw’s legacy will carry on through the love of her family, her 4 children, 14 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren and 2 great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her loving husband Walter, of nearly 70 years, parents Gabriel and Virginia, sister Ann Grover and brother-in-law Bob Grover, granddaughter Stefanie Buckingham, niece Robbin Grover and several dear close friends, including Betty Laney and Carol Coats. She is survived by her children Drenda (Alvin), Steve (Cheryl), Wade (Michele) and Laurie, grandchildren Shawn (Adelle), Nicole, Shayne (Marta), Brian (Janene), Lora (Michael), Ashleigh, Zach, Jamie (PJ), Keith, Michael, (Stephany), Christopher (Elizabeth), Ryan (Kevin) and Steven (Tiffany) and great-grandchildren Alex, Anthony, Jennifer, Pete, Autumn, Grace, Sean, Noah, James, William, Devin, Daisha, Shannon, MJ, Joshua, Hazel, Haileigh, Evelyn, Hadley, Judah and Gavin, and great, great grandchildren Alora Jane and Kaelani Maisie, nieces Jan (Ron), Pam (Gary), Dorcia (Terry), Linda Firlein and Tracey Hobbs, nephew John (Donna), sister-in-law Dolores, uncles Jack (Dot) Ragland, Gene (Joan) Ragland, James (Hazel) Ragland, Barbara Hackett, Shirley Hooker, Vernell Agee, dear friend Wendell Laney and many other nieces, nephews, cousins and treasured friends.

No services are scheduled at this time.

In lieu of flowers, Eileen would have loved to have donations made in her memory to Shriners Hospitals for Children, an organization near and dear to her heart, that was always there for her as a child.

Donate to LoveShriners.org today | Shriners Hospitals for Children®

https://donate.lovetotherescue.org

Evans Funeral Service is honored to serve the Clausson Family.