IN MEMORIAM Clara Lamore Walker ’64, ’73G, ’78G; world-famous master’s swimmer, PC athletes’ ‘grandmother’ Clara Lamore Walker ’64, ’73G, ’78G
Clara Lamore Walker ’64, ’73G, ’78G,
served as a guidance counselor in
Fame in 1995.
an Olympian and world-renowned
Cranston, R.I., public schools, trav-
PC and its Taylor Natatorium in the
master’s swimmer who was one of the
eled around the world, and was
Peterson Recreation Center quickly
first women to earn a bachelor’s degree
married to a U.S. Navy officer for
became the home for Mrs. Walker’s
from Providence College, died on
several years before his sudden death.
training after the center opened in
April 2, 2021. She was 94.
Born and raised in Providence, Mrs.
1981. O’Neill recalled her daily rou-
Her claim to fame was swimming at
Walker joined the Olneyville Boys
tine of attending Mass and training in
the highest levels of the sport, but at
Club swim team and quickly devel-
and out of the pool for two hours.
PC – where she trained, interacted
oped into a five-time AAU All-Amer-
O’Neill, who offered training and
with the women’s and men’s swimming
ica swimmer. Her success led to a
stroke advice to Mrs. Walker, and his
and diving teams for three decades,
berth in the 1948 Summer Olympic
women’s and men’s swimmers quickly
attended daily Mass, and even worked
Games in London, where she com-
came to develop close relationships
in residence life – she was known as
peted in the breaststroke. She swore
with her.
Clara or referred to as “grandmother”
she would never swim competitively
That association continued for
by student-athletes and students alike.
after that because of the years of
approximately 30 years, with Mrs.
Mrs. Walker’s selflessness and focus
training, but 32 years later, when her
Walker attending PC swim meets and
on others’ well-being, and not her own
doctor recommended she take up
getting to know new swimmers each
success, camouflaged a life that “would
swimming to alleviate back pain, she
year. She became close to many of
be a heck of a movie,” said John
was back in the pool.
them, frequently attending their
O’Neill, the Friars’ swimming and
Mrs. Walker started training again
weddings over the years, and swam
diving coach.
after she set a national record in the
with them each year in southern
During her lifetime, she worked for
50-yard breaststroke in the 50-54 age
Rhode Island at their Swim Across
the New England Telephone Com-
group in her first meet. From that
America fundraiser for cancer re-
pany, was a cloistered nun with the
point on, swimming multiple strokes,
search.
Order of the Cenacle, earned a bach-
she set 184 world records and 467
Mrs. Walker, who was the aunt of
elor’s degree in philosophy and mas-
national records as a master’s swim-
Paul R. Lamore ’81, ’01G, also worked
ter’s degrees in guidance/counselor
mer. She was the first female master’s
for several years in the late 1990s as the
education and secondary administra-
swimmer to be inducted into the
hall director at Raymond Hall on
tion from PC, taught English and
International Swimming Hall of
campus.
> READ MORE: PROV.LY/PC-LONG-READS
PROVIDENCE COLLEGE SPRING 2021
