The story of a

mother sister best friend mentor daughter teammate student grandmother coach triathlete

Clare Boland Baier wore many hats aside from her bike helmet. She was a loving mother to seven children, a mentor and coach, a strong teammate, an intelligent classmate, a giving aunt, a caring sister to 11 siblings, the coolest grandma, a genuine best friend, and much more. She was famous for her huge chocolate chip cookies, her beautiful singing voice, and her ability to push 3 shopping carts at once! Each and every day, Clare shared her big blue eyes and beautiful smile with everyone, both friends and strangers.
She was a triathlete and made a 100-mile bike ride seem like a casual event. As a member of and coach for Team in Training (TNT) for many years, she helped others conquer the feat of riding 100 miles on a bike, while raising money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma society. Her love for fitness and wellness shone through her countless rides and runs, her pursuit of a degree in Nutrition, and her daily mission to be her healthiest and happiest self.

"We advocate for celebrating life as a daily practice, rather than waiting until time becomes limited."

- Becca Baier

Executive Director

On October 25, 2013, Clare suffered from several seizures and, within a few days, was diagnosed with Glioblastoma Multiforme, a rare and incurable Stage IV Brain Cancer. On November 13, she underwent a major brain surgery to remove as much of the tumor as possible. She looked at that day, and the 13th of every month after that, as a day to celebrate life. That surgery gave her more time, to make more memories and celebrate whatever time she had left.
Clare was resilient and fought hard, and on June 11, 2014, only seven and a half months after those first seizures, she rode her bike to Heaven. Her contagious passion for celebrating life and being kind to everyone live on in her children, family and friends, and The Celebrate Life Foundation is just a small piece of Clare’s legacy that we want to share with everyone.