OXFORD – Claire Humeston Maholchic, resident of Oxford for many years, died after a long illness on Aug. 24, 2008. 
She was born Aug. 9, 1929 in Dover Plains, the daughter of the late Roy and Ruth (Howe) Humeston. She graduated from Dover Plains High School, and attended Drew University, New York State College for Teachers at Albany, and the State University College at Oneonta.
 For over 30 years she taught English to junior high school students in upstate New York, most recently from 1971 to 1986 at the Sherburne-Earlville Central School. She loved her students and was appreciated by many of them after they left school. She always strove to see the good in people.
Mrs. Maholchic was an avid reader. After retiring from teaching, she served as the librarian at the Oxford Memorial Library. She was also an excellent duplicate bridge player who won the Norwich Individual Bridge Tournament in 1987.
She was predeceased by her first husband, the former principal of Oxford Academy and Central High School, Paul T. Maholchic. She is survived by her loving second husband, Robert J. Maholchic of Oxford. She is also survived by her children, Michael of Milton, Mass., Betsy Locke of Oxford, Suzy Nelson of Cambridge, Mass., Mark of Oxford, and Matthew of Norwich; four stepchildren, Robert of Virginia Beach, Va., Kathy Hall of Santa Clarita, Calif., Ray of Wrightwood, Calif., and Richard of Agoura, Calif. and 19 grandchildren and one great grandchild. She is also survived by her sisters, Joan Newman of Wappinger Falls and Betsy Simpson of Ellerton, Fla. and her brother, Roy Humeston of Dover Plains.
Mrs. Maholchic was a member of the United Church of Oxford. 
Calling hours are private for the immediate family. A memorial service will be held at the United Church of Oxford 25 Main Street, Oxford, at 7 p.m. on Thursday.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Paul and Claire Maholchic Memorial Scholarship Fund, the American Cancer Society, or Hospice of Chenango County.