Claudia Françoise (de Besson) Fernandez-Concha

Claudia Françoise (de Besson) Fernandez-Concha, born October 15, 1942, passed away peacefully on February 17, 2026.

Claudia was born in Lima, Peru after her parents, Alfredo de Besson Gratacap and Germaine Ferrelec Perron, left France to escape World War II. She often recounted fond memories of her childhood, such as the wonders of the Amazon rainforest, spending time on her father’s farm near Tingo Maria, and her years attending boarding school in Switzerland.

Claudia went on to study Anthropology at the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos. She then worked with her family’s business and, after marrying and raising her family, moved to the United States with her three young children and late husband.

Claudia, known as Françoise to many of her friends, had a natural gift of connecting with others. She formed friendships across all ages and backgrounds and left an impression with her sweet and gentle demeanor, often paired with a candid and refreshingly direct way of expressing her preferences.

Claudia had a deep love of learning and was an avid reader, with interests spanning the arts, history, archaeology, and medicine. Fluent in three languages, she instilled in her children a lifelong appreciation for reading, curiosity, and travel. She also had a special love for animals and always had a dog or a cat by her side, something that brought her constant joy and companionship throughout her life.

Later in life, she became a real estate broker, a role she truly enjoyed, as it allowed her to connect with people in a meaningful way and guide them through important moments in their lives.

She is survived by her daughters and sons-in-law, Marie-Lise and Peter, Celine and Emilio; her son and daughter-in-law, Alfredo and Doris; and her grandson, Luca.

A Memorial Service will be held starting at 2:00 PM on Saturday, May 2 in the Chapel of Groce Funeral Home’s Lake Julian location in Arden. This service will be streamed live via the link just below the obituary text. A celebration of her life with light fare and refreshments will begin at 5:00 PM at Newman’s Restaurant at Orchard Inn, 100 Orchard Inn Lane, Saluda, NC 28773.