Beloved community leader and trailblazer to lead the parade in Tink and George Willauer’s 1935 Packard Roadster
The Town of Lyme is proud to announce that Claire Sauer has been chosen as Grand Marshal of the Lyme July 4th Parade, marking the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America. The parade will step off at approximately 10 a.m. on Saturday, July 4th, with Mrs. Sauer riding in the lead position aboard Tink and George Willauer’s 1935 Packard Roadster.
The selection of Claire Sauer as Grand Marshal honors a woman who has dedicated decades of her life to the Town of Lyme — and whose career of public service at every level of government embodies the spirit of civic engagement that Independence Day celebrates.
A Life of Service to Lyme
Mrs. Sauer has woven herself into the fabric of Lyme through years of hands-on public service. She served as Registrar of Voters, member of the Board of Finance, Chair of the Affordable Housing Committee, and as a Lyme Selectman — making history as the first woman ever to serve on the Lyme Board of Selectmen. She also broke ground as the first female President of the Lyme–Old Lyme Chamber of Commerce.
From Lyme to the State Capitol
Mrs. Sauer’s community leadership in Lyme launched a distinguished career in state government. Elected to the Connecticut House of Representatives, she served from 1994 to 2000, championing issues of democratic accountability and civic participation. Throughout her legislative tenure — and beyond — her foremost cause was campaign finance reform, an effort she pursued as a member of the State Board of Common Cause.
A Career Rooted in Civic Leadership
Before making Connecticut her home, Mrs. Sauer built an impressive record of public service on Long Island, New York. A Cornell University graduate, she rose through the ranks of the League of Women Voters, serving as president of several local leagues and as a member of the State Board of the LWV in both New York and Connecticut. Her work with the League led directly to her appointment as Chair of the bipartisan Suffolk County Charter Revision Commission, whose recommendations were approved in their entirety by voters.
In 1976, Mrs. Sauer was elected to the Suffolk County Legislature. When her husband Fred was transferred to Pfizer in Groton in 1978 and the family moved to Connecticut, The New York Times noted that she “gave up what many considered a promising political career.” Connecticut’s gain was evident in all that followed.
Mrs. Sauer was born in March 1929 on Long Island, New York. She was widowed in 1989 and is the proud mother of two sons, grandmother of four, and great-grandmother of two.
“We are so honored to name Claire Sauer as our Grand Marshal for this once-in-a-generation celebration. Claire has given so much of herself to this community — breaking barriers, serving with integrity, and always putting Lyme first. On the 250th birthday of our nation, there is no one more deserving to lead our parade.” — Christy Zelek, First Selectwoman of Lyme