Allan Richard Clare Obituary

Al Clare has completed his last earthly project. If you believe in heaven, you can be sure that when you get there, Al will have it refurbished to your satisfaction.  He and St. Peter are probably busy right now polishing the Pearly Gates.  Born in 1947 in Ottawa, Canada, Al was always involved in a project, from explaining to his parents why he took their new lawnmower apart (to see how it worked, of course) to labeling all the electrical pathways at the 115-unit condo that was his last residence.  His intelligence, curiosity, and perseverance carried him into several successful careers.  He started as an electrician, but his apprenticeship was cut short when he became the company's youngest-ever foreman.  He quickly moved up to project manager for large construction, moving all over Canada as the jobs required, working on a hospital above the Arctic Circle, a Four Seasons hotel in Vancouver, banks, shopping centers, etc, and ending with the remodeling of a historic prison.

Along the way, Al also spent time as a general contractor, builder of log homes, and owner of a custom cabinet shop.  For 12 years, he volunteered as a Boy Scout leader and trainer, building up the largest troop in the Toronto area.  He finally "retired" to his beloved Algonquin Park where he turned a rundown cabin into a luxurious summer home and was recruited by the neighbors into being a full-time handyman on Canoe Lake.  While spending his summers at the lake, he started "snowbirding" to Arizona and Florida.  While in Florida, he organized "Blitz Builds" for Habitat for Humanity. Newly single in the winter of 2008, his new hobby of birdwatching got him involved with the Bay County Audubon Society where he met Candis Harbison.  After deciding that they were "birds of a feather", they married in 2010, giving him the opportunity to become a Resident Alien in the US with a Green Card.

As Al's construction abilities became known, he got busy doing remodeling jobs for friends and family, the biggest of which was building all the booths, bars, cabinets, tables, and pirate ship for Los Antojitos restaurant.  He improved a few residences in their immediate neighborhood in the Cove, and he and Candis ran a small rental business.  He turned the yard of their home into a lively habitat of water features, flower beds, and native plants that was always buzzing and humming with birds, bees, and butterflies.

After he was diagnosed with that cruel disease, ALS, Al and Candis moved to a condominium, and he continued to be as active as possible, meeting each challenge with ingenuity, humor, and fortitude.  The disease finally conquered his body but not his spirit on October 19, 2025.  He asked that his ashes be scattered in two places: Canoe Lake and St. Andrew Bay.  Al is survived by his wife Candis Harbison and son Todd (Shannon) and grandchildren MacKinnly and Alana.  Also, by daughter Carrie Clare, stepson Richard Richmond (Tara), stepsons Jay Harbison and Matt Harbison (Mynta), step-grandsons John Parker and Jake Harbison.  Additionally, by brother Kevin Clare (Theresa) and their four sons; sister Nancy Seed, niece Ashley Seed, and special nephew Kyle Seed (Carol).  Also, former wives Rosalind Clare and Jan Richmond.

A memorial service will be held on Sunday, November 9, 2025 at 2 pm in the Wilson Funeral Home Chapel.