Paulette Marie Clarida, age 93, passed away peacefully in her sleep on Monday, August 29, 2022 at The Arbors of Harmony Gardens in Warrensburg, Missouri, after a short illness. Palette was born on April 29, 1929 in Soustons, Landes, France, she was the 2nd child of Vincent Paul Cassen and wife, Jeanne Marie Lasserre.

She married the love of her life, Orville Douglas Clarida, an American serviceman from Fort Scott, Kansas, on September 4, 1954 in Boissise-la-Bertrand, Seine-et-Marne, France and was an attentive and loving mother to their 3 children. They were married for 61 years until Orville died in 2015.

Paulette grew up in Southwest France and loved the pine forests and the ocean. She was taught to knit as a child and survived the WWII Nazi occupation of Bordeaux and the ensuing death and destruction due to heavy bombing of the area around their chateau by knitting in the dark due to black outs. Knitting calmed her nerves and she continued to knit her entire life. She made and donated thousands of baby booties, blankets and caps to hospital nurseries plus knitted wool caps for soldiers serving in Afghanistan to wear and to pass out to Afghan children.

Orville and Paulette returned to the USA in 1956 and were stationed at Fort Bliss, TX until his retirement from the service in 1964. The family lived for a short time in Dell City, TX and Fort Scott, KS before moving to Independence, MO where she became an American citizen in 1967 and Warrensburg, MO from 1969 through 1982. They retired to Deepwater, MO until 2008 when they moved to Springfield, MO and lived until 2015 when Orville died. Paulette moved to Overland Park, KS for 3 years and to Holden, MO until 2021. Paulette was a vivacious soul who lived a full and interesting life despite the trauma of her early years. While she kept a strong French accent in her speech all of her days, she loved to read poetry and philosophy and write poetry in English. She was an lifelong avid reader and loved to give books as gifts. She also loved to flower and vegetable garden and created beautiful surroundings at all of her homes.

Paulette is survived by her three children: Joanne Shrout (David),  Independence, Mo, Patrick Clarida of Holden, Mo and Catherine Moore (Alan) Springfield, Mo, and 8 grandchildren: Beth McDow, Overland Park, KS, Joshua Shrout (Adell) and Jon Shrout, Independence, Mo, Jacob Moore, Ozark, Mo, Karyn Barnes (William), Willard, Mo, Jamie Schuman (Jesse), Raymore, Mo, Jeremy Calhoun and Justin Clarida, Holden, Mo and 12 greatgrandchildren. The 2 ^nd of 6 children, Paulette is also survived by 3 sisters and many nieces, nephews and cousins in France. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, parents and her sister and brother.

Funeral services will be on Tuesday, September 6, 2022 at 11:00 AM at the Vansant-Mills Chapel in Clinton, Missouri. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service. A graveside service will follow at 1:30 PM at the Fort Scott National Cemetery in Fort Scott, Kansas. Memorial contributions can be made to Good Shephard Hospice and can be left in care of the Vansant-Mills Funeral Home.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Vansant-Mills Funeral Home in Clinton, Missouri.