I was first introduced to Clarice through her book "The Hemingray Glass Company, a Most Colorful History" back in 2005, shortly after I got interested in the hobby. I like to think her book chose me, rather than me choosing it… for it's the kind of book that once you open the cover, it draws you in with it's great photos, easy reading style, fascinating history and interesting information that keeps you glued cover to cover. I think it gave readers just what she intended… a sip from the fountain, with a thirst for more!

I spoke with her a few times by phone ( she didn't have a computer), but it wouldn't be until 3 years later that I'd get to meet her in person at the 2008 San Diego Bottle show. It wasn't hard to find her in the crowded room. She was the one wearing the bumble bee dress, bumble bee sweater pin, several NIA labels of recognition, and assortment of beehive insulators on her table. She was soft spoken, humble about her contributions to the hobby, and though she had been out of main stream collecting for some time, her eyes lit up as she reminisced of the good times she had throughout the years, meeting other collectors, going to shows, writing books and articles, and of finding new pieces while on trips around the country.

The hobby and people in it were a big part of her adult life, and she remained enthusiastic about it, and a die-hard fan of the beehive right to the end. Clarice was a pioneer, and its folks like her who worked early on to help make our hobby the great one that it is.