Claudia Patino Tarlow of Sag Harbor Dies January 10

Claudia Patino Tarlow of Sag Harbor died on January 10, two years after being diagnosed with Huntington’s disease. She was 50.

She was born in Buenaventura, Colombia, on July 26, 1974.

Her effervescent spirit was captured in her megawatt smile, which became her personal signature, according to her family. Anyone who knew Claudia remembers her smile, they said. Throughout her life, she was a woman deeply committed to her family, her friends, and the ocean, where she spent so many hours riding the waves with other surfers from Montauk.

She developed a deep commitment to the sea when she studied marine biology in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where she also enjoyed scuba diving with her wife, Wendy. Her love of the water was apparent in her life through her regular volunteering for numerous ocean-based nonprofit events like A Walk On Water, Montauk’s Rell Sunn Surf Benefit, Eastern Long Island’s Surfrider chapter and coordinating her own local beach cleanups to keep the Montauk beaches clean and healthy.

She moved to Sag Harbor with her wife Wendy, where they welcomed their son, Logan. Claudia and Logan were first tested by adversity when her wife Wendy was diagnosed with cancer. Claudia cared for her wife with unwavering love and support, all while helping to raise their son.

Even during the most difficult times, she remained connected to her love of water by learning how to stand up paddle and surf in the local waters of Montauk. Surfing quickly took hold and became her passionate recreational activity for the rest of her life. She often took her son on trips to Puerto Rico, Barbados and even the Galapagos Islands to share her love of the sea and was dedicated to passing on to him the importance of caring for all of its creatures and fighting for their survival.

She has been a member of the Ditch Plains year-round surfing community for many years and she also became one of the first female members of East Hampton Village Volunteer Ocean Rescue squad. She was an ocean certified lifeguard and dedicated swimmer, applying herself twice weekly at the YMCA’s master swim class up until a few weeks before her death.

In addition, she had incredible talent as a diverse artist. She created original multimedia artworks from driftwood and stones collected at Ditch Plains while she also captured compelling photographs of the ocean, the surf community, her animals, and her deeply loved family. She regularly gave her artworks away as presents or donated them to special causes she believed in.

She is survived by her son, Logan; and her wife of 22 years, Wendy Tarlow.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Huntington’s Disease Association to further the research on this disease (hdsa.org/teamtarlow).