Friends, former students and parents of students are remembering a “wonderful” and “brilliant” teacher who died last month at the age of 85.

Sister Clare Ashe, a native “Haligonian”, taught music and art at Mount Saint Agnes Academy (MSA) from 1989 to 1995.

The Sisters of Charity nun was well loved by parents and students alike, who recalled her “outgoing and enthusiastic” personality.

“She was just a warm, loving person,” said former student Laura Lyons, who is now the director of development at MSA. “She was really encouraging and supportive.”

Ms Lyons was taught by Sister Clare in the early Nineties and was part of the junior choir.

“We had quite a large junior choir which was largely because of her personality and how much we all enjoyed her as a teacher,” Ms Lyons said.

Theresa Fletcher, who also attended MSA and now works there, said: “She taught two of my kids. She was absolutely brilliant. She was wonderful.

“She really exuded to me what a nun was. She loved the kids and she loved to teach.

“Everything about her was what was good for the children and she loved to see them shine at what they were good at.”

According to Ms Fletcher, Sister Clare also gave guitar lessons in the mornings, ran a guitar club and organised Christmas concerts for the whole school.

“You just wanted to cuddle her, that’s the way she was, she was so personable,” she said. “She was very well loved. We all missed her when she left. She left quite an impression.”

Elaine Kelly’s son was also taught by Sister Clare.

“She was a great teacher,” Ms Kelly told The Royal Gazette. “She was quite outgoing and enthusiastic — the kids all liked her.”

Sister Clare entered the Sisters of Charity of Halifax in September 1951 and was transferred to Hamilton in 1989.

She taught the fifth grade at MSA for a year before she became the music and art teacher for kindergarten and elementary students, according to Sister Judith Rollo.

Sister Judith and Sister Dolores Sullivan, who are the last two Sisters of Charity on the island, lived with Sister Clare at Caritas in Paget.

“When she arrived in 1989 there were five of us,” Sister Judith said. “She was a delight to live with because of her enthusiasm and generosity.”

Sister Judith described her fellow nun as an “outgoing, warm person, who made everyone feel welcome”.

“Sister Dolores, who at that time was principal of our elementary school, could ask Sister Clare to do anything and she would to the degree she was able,” she added.

“I was principal of the junior-senior high school and Sister Clare was also willing to help me in any way she could.

“She was very, very talented. The kids really loved her. Her personality was so filled with warmth.”

She said Sister Clare loved Bermuda and its people but that she lost “her glasses the first time she went swimming at Horseshoe Bay”.

Sister Clare was born in Halifax, Canada, on September 21, 1930, to William and Margaret Ashe.

She received a BSc in elementary education in 1966 and a BA in 1968 from Mount Saint Vincent University. She began her ministry as an educator in Sillery, Quebec City, and also taught in Bellmore, New York; Vancouver, British Columbia; Jasper and Edmonton in Alberta; and Mississauga, Ontario.

After leaving Bermuda in 1995, she returned to the Halifax Province where she served as the treasurer of the Vice-Province and later as the branch office treasurer.

She also volunteered in various capacities before retiring in December 2008.