Obituary: William C. Claus
William C. Claus
KENNEBUNK – William C. Claus, 98, died in his Kennebunkport home on July 31, 2026. Bill lived an incredibly full and rich life, retaining his curiosity about the world right to the end.
Bill was born in Teaneck, N.J., in 1927. He served in the U.S. Army, discharged as a sergeant. The first to go to college in his family, he was a graduate of Upsala College. He then went to work for three years in Indonesia with Caltex Pacific Petroleum. He worked as an accountant for American Cyanamid, later Cyro Industries, until he retired in 1989.
Bill was an active and passionate fisherman from an early age. As a boy, his father introduced him to fishing on the Jersey shore. His childhood experiences developed into a lifelong love of fly fishing. He started tying his own flies at age 14, taking lessons with Alex Rogan at the Alex Taylor fly shop in New York City, N.Y.
After living in Ringwood, N.J., then Madison, Conn., he moved his family to Kennebunkport in 1971. Reflecting on the family move, in his own words, he relayed that the Atlantic salmon were returning to the Penobscot River. He joined the Penobscot Salmon Club in Brewer and fished for Maine Atlantic salmon until this fishery was closed in 1999. He then turned to fishing the rivers of Maine for trout; devoted to fishing the fly and the importance of the well-being of the rivers.
He fished with friends at Mooselookmeguntic Lake and the Kennebago and Magalloway rivers. There were annual trips to Montana to fish the Madison and Missouri and explore new waters. A friend said, “We traveled to many places and we saw the best of it.”
Throughout his life Bill had an interest in the changes in the world and a love of the outdoors. He was a committed naturalist and environmentalist, especially pertaining to the health of the Maine rivers. At various times in his life he played competitive bridge and the accordion, and built stone walls partially pieced together with rocks from the rivers he fished. He enjoyed reading, music, cooking, gardening, the N.Y. Jets, dark chocolate turtles and a good scotch.
Bill Claus was a gentleman in all senses of the word.
Bill is survived by his partner, Patricia Taylor; his three children, Toby of Beverly, Mass., Michael (Cathy Connors) of Kennebunk and Jim (Pat Claus) of Orrington; and two grandchildren, Evan Derosby and Sophie Claus (Grace Murnaghan). He was married to Phyllis Jane Dincin Claus from 1954 until she died in March, 1990. He also leaves behind his stalwart fishing posse, Jeff Maxwell, Tony Derosby, Cliff Rugg and Robert Piampiano.
A celebration of life is planned for Sept. 29 at noon, Roger’s Pond Park, 49 Water St., Kennebunk, with a lunch to follow at Duffy’s Tavern and Grill, 4 Main St., The Lafayette Center, Kennebunk.
To share a memory or leave a message of condolence, please visit Bill‘s Book of Memories Page at http://www.bibberfuneral.com.
Arrangements are in the care of Bibber Memorial Chapel, 67 Summer St., Kennebunk.
The family asks that in lieu of flowers donations may be sent to
Trout Unlimited, Sebago Chapter
P.O. Box 623
Yarmouth, ME 04096
(www.sebagotu.org)
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