Claudith Washington

Claudith was born and raised in McNair Station, Texas, in 1945 during racial segregation. Being of Louisiana Creole heritage, family and her Catholic faith were at the center of her development as a child and continued to be a driving force her entire life. In fact, Claudith hoped to become a nun, but fate had another plan. Marriage, motherhood, ecclesial lay ministry, and a career as a diversity pioneer in corporate America would become her legacy. 

Claudith married her high school sweetheart, Gene Washington in 1967. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Michigan State University and received her Masters Degree in Educational Psychology and Counseling from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN. She also received additional education and certification through the Archdiocesan Lay Ministry program in St. Paul, MN. 

From the 1970s to the 1990s, she served the community in active positions in the NAACP, the United Negro College Fund, the Minneapolis Urban Leauge, the Twin Cities Compensation Association, the University of Minnesota Employer Education Advisory, and the University of St. Thomas’s MBA HRM Executive Council. She was a past board member of the Minnesota Friends of the Orphans and the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet Foundation. She was active in her church at Holy Name of Jesus, as past chair of the Pastoral Council, teaching religious education, and serving in multiple ministries for many years. 

Over the course of her career, Washington held executive level positions in Human Resources in several industries. Claudith’s career in the Twin Cities included computer technology (Control Data Corporation, ETA Systems, Zytec Corporation), the food industry (International Multifoods, General Mills, Inc.), balloon manufacturing (Anagram International, Inc.), and banking (National City Bank of Minneapolis). She retired from business endeavors and devoted the last 10 years of her working life to the education of children, teaching Spanish at Risen Christ Catholic School in South Minneapolis. She often said she saved the best for last, loving the children and enjoying her work there. 

Claudith will best be remembered for her faith in God and encouragement of others. 

Claudith is survived by her husband, Gene Washington; children Lisa Washington (Will) Mielke, Gina Washington, and Maya Washington; three grandchildren and a large extended family. A private funeral Mass was held in Wayzata, MN. 

The family requests memorials be made to Claudith’s favorite charities: Risen Christ School, St. Peter Claver School, Sisters of the Holy Family, Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Sisters of Carondolet, SOAR!, and Sisters of St Benedict. 

Risen Christ School 

https://risenchristschool.org/

St. Peter Claver School

https://stpclaverschool.org/give/

Sisters of the Holy Family

https://sistersoftheholyfamily.com/

Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

https://www.bvmsisters.org/

Sisters of Carondelet 

https://csjcarondelet.org/

 SOAR! Support our Aging Religious

https://soar-usa.org/

 Sisters of St. Benedict

https://thedome.org/