Clarice Coira

Her parents were Firmino and Madeline (nee Barsocchi), both natives of Italy. She was the much younger sister of Chet, Artie and Addie, all deceased. Her father passed when she was eight and watching her mother’s efforts to keep moving forward and working left a lifelong impression and deep love of her mother and family. Growing up in Union City, Clarice graduated from Emerson High in 1951 where she was described in her yearbook as “having a confident voice, a blushing cheek and a pleasant disposition”. Upon graduation she went to work for William Boss, Inc.

In the early 1950’s she met the love of her life, Al. They were wed in 1957. After returning from a honeymoon in Miami the couple settled in North Bergen and started their family with the birth of their beloved son, Robert. Shortly thereafter, the family moved to the Township of Washington where the family grew with the arrival of their little princess, Denise.

Clarice settled into the life of homemaker and mother and excelled at both. She was known for her sweet and gentle nature and her love for family was unconditional. She was a constant source of support and encouragement and her children’s biggest cheerleader. She didn’t miss a game, event or activity. Her pride was apparent, you just needed to ask her, or not. That went double for her five grandsons. She didn’t hold it against them having to return the pink clothes she bought in advance of each of their births. Luckily, she was finally able to keep one with the birth of her great-granddaughter a few years ago.

Everyone was always welcome in Clarice’s home and her hospitality was never ending. She loved to talk and laugh with whoever came over. Your friends became her friends. Holidays were a staple on Jackson Ave and Clarice looked to please with her meals, cookies and desserts.

Pleasing was a common theme for her. She always wanted to make sure that what she was doing resulted in your happiness. If she was shopping for a gift, no stone was left unturned in her search. Al, who was a very funny man, sometimes likened her walking speed to that of a turtle, but in Macy’s, where she worked when her children were older, she was more like Ms. Pacman going through those racks looking for the right gift.

Working retail at Macy’s in Paramus was a perfect job for mom. She was given the opportunity to use her gift of gab, her eye for style and engaging personality to help everyone who came her way. She took her work seriously and always gave one hundred percent which just came naturally to her. When it was time to take a break, she was a voracious reader who never was without any number of books and magazines.

It is difficult not to talk about mom without dad and vice versa. Clarice and Al, who pre-deceased her in 2022, were the type of couple who made an impression on everyone they met. They were fabulous parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, aunt/uncle and friends. They made everyone around them feel comfortable with their smiles and laughs. Their relationship just kept getting stronger over the course of their 64 years of marriage and they grew old together with smiles on their faces and love in their hearts. It was touching to see how they cared for each other in their later years and is comforting to know they are together once again.

Clarice is survived by her son, Robert, and his wife Irene, and their three children, Christopher and his wife Kristen, Michael and Nicholas; her daughter Denise McKay, and her husband Randy, their two children, Matthew and fiancé Alyssa, and Sean; her great-grandson Luke and great-granddaughter Mackenzie; and many nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Friday October 27 at Our Lady of Good Counsel R.C. Church, Township of Washington NJ. Entombment will follow at Garden of Memories, Township of Washington, NJ.

The family will receive relatives and friends on Thursday October 26 at Becker Funeral Home, 219 Kinderkamack Road, Westwood, NJ from 5 to 8 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.