Obituary of Claude Favre January

Celebrating Claude January's Life

Claude Favre January, age 74, wife of Bob January of Easton, CT, died February 13 at her home in Easton, CT. Claude was born in Paris, France, on November 4, 1949, to Jean-Jacques Favre, who later became head of Printemps, the famous department store in Paris, and Genevieve Jousset, an educator.

Claude studied chemistry and physics and became a professor of chemistry in Manhattan for several years. In 1983, she married Bob January and daringly joined his start-up, Nytex Petroleum, an international oil brokerage company. As head of operations and accounting, Claude was instrumental to the success of the company, marrying molecular knowledge with commercialization while becoming exceptionally well respected in the industry worldwide. She later supported her husband's artistic ambitions that developed into a serious pursuit.

Claude was a unique human being, fantastically gifted yet extremely modest. To give you some inkling, following are three short remembrances. The first by Dr. Anne Favre, her older sister, focuses on her youth. The second, by Dr. Marie-Jose Delvaux-Mondet, her best friend since high school, focuses on her adult years. And the third, by Bob January, her husband, focuses on their life together. Both Dr. Favre and Dr. Delvaux write English as a second language. Bob grew up in Wichita Falls, Texas.

Dr. Anne Favre:

"We were three girls, Anne, Catherine, Claude. We did not always totally agree, but we were three united sisters. Claude was the youngest, but she was not our baby. She shared all our activities. Her energy and her tremendous curiosity were infectious.

"Our parents were young, dynamic, hardworking, courageous, rigorous but fair. They gave us the sense of family, the importance of work, the respect for others and intellectual curiosity. With them, we discovered literature, art, music. We often traveled together.

"All three of us, we made our way in life studying medicine, pharmacy, and chemistry. Claude preferred chemistry. She moved to New York to study, then stayed on to teach. One day, we had the pleasure to welcome Bob, her future husband, among us. His father and brother also became members of our family. This was about forty years ago. Despite the distance we saw each other often. Weddings, distance, work, nothing could separate us. Telephone, letters, internet, we easily communicated, and took advantage of many opportunities to be together. Our grandmother celebrated her 80th birthday with Claude in San Francisco. Whether in New York or Easton, we were always warmly welcomed, and the pleasure of being together was always great. Claude's culinary skills always dazzled us, we were admiring the beauty of her garden, the way she decorated their house where we could find Bob's paintings and souvenirs from our family.

"What will we remember about Claude? Her heartwarming welcome, her cooking, her garden, her passion for opera, her curiosity about so many things, her generosity….

"For us, her sisters, for our children, for our grandchildren which had the great chance to meet her and to know her, will remain the souvenir of the importance she gave to the family, of her heartwarming hospitality, of her smile and her laugh, of her great culture and the pleasure she had to share it with us.

"All of us, we keep her in our hearts. We know that she will remain with us. And more than ever now, Bob is our brother."

Dr. Marie-Jose Delvaux-Mondet:

"Claude was a friend of mine for 57 years, with a similar interest in chemistry but sharing much more. We met in the last year of high school, where Claude graduated with honors. Then, we stumbled upon each other at the entrance exam for the Paris Catholic University in the Chemistry section. This was a five-year program during which Claude and I became very close friends. Among many things we spent time in the mountains skiing, She impressed me by her determination to learn. Not only did she master Chemistry, but she was also gifted in Physics. Physics was not my forte, and Claude patiently helped me get through, explaining much more clearly than the professor. We studied hard but also had some good times.

"During this period in Paris, we were in the Latin Quarter and there was a little café near our university where we discovered a pin-ball machine. She beat me every time, but we still had a lot of fun. We also had our little habits. On a regular basis, we went to our preferred student restaurant, which was at the end of the Jardin du Luxembourg, a good 30-minute extra walk. It offered delicious meals compared to restaurants close by. Indeed, Claude was very good in many areas but also very modest. One had to know her to appreciate her many talents. During these years, our friendship expanded far beyond Chemistry.

"Then I followed Claude's footsteps and came to the States to attend a university in Ohio while Claude was studying in Manhattan. Distance was not an issue. It was more fun to go and visit her in New York where she lived than vice versa.

"I met Bob and was often invited to their great apartment in New York and then later to their beautiful home in Connecticut. I even had the privilege to live 6 months with them in Connecticut. That's when I discovered other facets of Claude, going for hikes, taking care of her beautiful flower garden, tasting her delicious cooking, solving the New York Times Crossword Puzzle in ten minutes flat, and sharing some of the cultural activities she and Bob enjoyed.

"Our last time together was last April, traveling to Tamil Nadu and Kerala, in India. It was exceptionally well organized by Bob. I was so excited when I walked into the plane cabin in Paris and joined them. It was an energy explosion of our friendship. As Claude and I sat back in the back seat of the car we hired in India, Bob would occasionally look back at both of us with disbelief saying « You never stop talking, do you? You can't get enough of each other. »

"It was wonderful to be with both of them in India and share so many things and to be with Claude just like we were in our youth. Our many minutes talking and laughing together will always remain engraved on my mind."

Bob January:

"Claude, my wife of forty years, was a Christian. She was the great magician in my life. She was my lover and best friend. She made me. She set a higher standard. Without Claude, the life I lived would not have been possible. Claude is the source of any good in me. She gave me meaning…and she gives me meaning now. She is not gone."  
 
A funeral mass will be held on Tuesday, February 20, 2024, at 11:00 AM at St. Stephen Church in Trumbull. For travel directions or to sign her online guest register, please visit www.LeskoFuneralHome.com.