Long-Time Highlands and Oakland Park Resident Claire Galam Passes Away at 104

Oakland Park mourns the passing of Claire Galam, a dedicated community member who died on July 21, 2026, at the age of 104. Galam, who moved to Oakland Park in 2020 to live with her daughter, Valerie Cousino, left a legacy of faith and service spanning decades in both Highlands, North Carolina, and South Florida.

Galam was born on April 9, 1922, in Manhattan, New York. She married World War II veteran Roland Galam in June 1941. Their marriage lasted nearly 70 years until Roland's passing in June 2011, just six days shy of their anniversary. The couple moved their family from Smithtown, Long Island, New York, to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in 1956. They later made Highlands, North Carolina, their permanent home in 2000, after years of cherishing their summer residence there.

Claire Galam built a successful career as an executive secretary with Peck Associates in Fort Lauderdale for 21 years. She later owned and operated Claire’s Secretarial, Inc., a legal secretarial business, and also served as the bookkeeper at Flamingo Gardens.

A woman of deep faith, Galam devoted much of her retirement to Our Lady of the Mountains Catholic Church in Highlands. For 28 years, she served as a sacristan, sang in the choir, visited the sick, and was an active member of the parish council. She was predeceased by her husband, Roland Galam; her brothers, Marshall and Roger Bacon; and her sister, Dorothy Brooks.

Private funeral services will be held at Our Lady of the Mountains Catholic Church in Highlands, North Carolina. The family requests memorial donations be made to Our Lady of the Mountains Catholic Church, located at 315 N. 5th Street, Highlands, NC 28741, or to a charity of choice.