NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Claudette Marie DeSavigny Fredricksen, age 68, went to be with Our Lord on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2015, in San Francisco.

She was born Jan. 27, 1946, in South San Francisco.

She lived in South San Francisco, Petaluma and Cobb Mountain.

She achieved two master's degrees in psychology and in counseling psychology. Never afraid of messy situations in life, she used it to help change lives working for county crisis, then a foster agency, counseling at her parish and much more.

Claudette was a parishioner at St. Mary Immaculate Catholic Church in Lakeport, Calif., and served her parish as a member of Women of Grace, led adult formation, taught First Communion and was the founder of Lake County Birthright.

A Franciscan at heart, she adored her garden and the little birds that came to visit. She had a special fondness of all things “toad,” including the book “The Wind in the Willows” and all the little frogs that hid in her flower pots.

A loving mother to everyone, she touched many lives in her time on Earth, including many foster children.

Confident that babies are always a gift, she was known as “Bama” to more than her own grandchildren and was always ready for a huggy-wuggy.

She is survived by her husband of 47 years, Larry Fredricksen; three siblings; her seven children, Lisa (Patrick) Lambert, Allison (Hugh) Luce, Lorna Fredricksen, Erin Leverman, Kristen (Michael) Marsh, and Christopher and Emma Fredricksen; and will be dearly missed by her 21 grandchildren and great-grandson.

There will be a rosary at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 14.

Funeral mass will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 15, followed by a graveside service at the St. Mary's cemetery. Afterwards there will be a reception in the St. Mary parish hall. 

The Fredricksen family invites you to come celebrate her life.

“We can do no great things; only small things with great love.” – Mother Teresa