She is survived by her loving husband of 57 years, Walter. They had a storybook wedding at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City on April 23, 1967.
In addition to Walter, she is also survived by her daughters Paula Cocozza (Keith) of Fairfield, CT ; Pamela Hegner (Brian) of Charlotte, NC; her loving nieces Caroline Rhoades (Jeff) of Glastonbury, CT ; Monika Sherman (Todd) of Stowe, VT ; brother-in-law Paul Modarelli (Heide) of Howey-in-the Hills, FL; grandnieces Stephanie Bell (Ryan) of East Granby, CT; Delaney Rhoades-Madore (Collin) of Marlborough, CT; and grandnephew Ben, grandniece Maddie and great-grandniece Aria.
Nothing gave her more joy than being “Nana” to her three cherished grandchildren Drew, Charlotte and Luke. She loved cooking for them and attending their plays, shows, concerts and sporting events.
She was predeceased by her parents Josephine and Julius DiCesare, and siblings Charles DiCesare and Carole DeFusco.
Claire was born in Weehawken, NJ and grew up in nearby Cliffside Park. She was a proud Jersey girl and loved spending her summers down the shore at Point Pleasant Beach. Claire also lived with a strong sense of her Italian heritage, becoming fluent in Italian after just three years of classes at Cliffside Park High School. She went on to attend Latin American Institute and Columbia University in New York City, where she became fluent in French as well. Her accent was so natural that people often mistaken her for being a native speaker.
Her love of language and world cultures led her to her dream job at the United Nations in New York as a French-English secretary. Rubbing elbows and networking with world dignitaries and heads of state was an absolute thrill for her.
Another organization Claire felt extremely passionate about was the Villagio Gifted School for Boys in Petralia Soprana, Sicily. She was the U.S. fundraising liaison between the school and other Italian Americans. She also collaborated with famous anthropologist Margaret Mead, who was an advisor to a teacher at the school. Claire forged life-long friendships with several of the students who attended the Villagio, and they remained in her life until the time of her death.
Claire and Walter settled in Leonia, NJ and later relocated to Tampa, Florida in 1978. There they raised their girls and enjoyed 38 years in Carrollwood. Claire loved living close to the Gulf of Mexico and took many trips to the beach.
Traveling the world with Walter was one of her greatest passions. Together they visited 68 countries and sailed on over 50 cruises. Everyone always asked, what was her favorite? The answer was easy – Japan. Paris was also close to her heart. She traveled to Italy about 20 times, including visits to Scanno, where her mother was born. Her last trip to Italy in 2022 was incredibly memorable, as she traveled with Walter, her children and grandchildren to the Amalfi Coast.
While she wasn’t traveling, she loved to be home in the kitchen. She was not only an excellent gourmet cook, but she also cooked professionally during her years of living in Tampa. From cooking classes and demonstrations at Robinson’s department store, to running her own catering business, to cooking Wednesday night suppers for the First Baptist Church of Lutz, she took pride in creating delicious and memorable meals. No matter what she cooked up, it was sure to be a crowd pleaser. She made the best meatballs, spaghetti carbonara, chicken marsala and peach tart. Nothing brought her more joy than hosting hundreds of dinner parties. She loved sitting around the table talking for hours, listening to opera, while enjoying delicious wine. Claire knew a thing or two about vino, as she was also a trained sommelier.
Her other jobs included working for the President of the University of South Florida and a medical meeting planner at Moffitt Cancer Center. But her favorite job, besides being a mom, was her role as a travel agent. She wanted to share her expertise of the world with her clients.
Upon relocating from Tampa to Fort Mill, SC, in 2017, she and Walter moved to Carolina Orchards. This welcoming neighborhood made them feel at home immediately with fun social activities and kind, thoughtful neighbors.
Claire was strong in her Catholic faith, and Saint Philip Neri Catholic Church has been a source of comfort especially over the last year, providing spiritual nurturing and meal support.
Another important Sunday tradition for Claire was studying for her NFL Suicide pool and getting excited to watch the Buccaneers. Other games of interest included word puzzles like Wordle, Cryptoquote, and the NY Times crossword puzzle. She was also a savage Scrabble and bridge player. Claire was a member of Mensa, the largest high-IQ society in the world.
A life-long feminist and supporter of social justice for marginalized communities, her empathy and kindness shown to people is one of her greatest legacies. Claire “mothered” many people along the way and cared deeply for those who needed a little extra love in their lives.
We would like to thank the following people who helped with her care and support: Saint Philip Neri’s Laura Fanning; Mieke and Natalia, her at-home nurses; the great people at Matthews Health and Rehab, Brighton Gardens Sunrise Charlotte and Via Hospice.
A funeral mass service to celebrate Claire’s life will be held at 1:30 pm Saturday, November 2nd, 2024 at Saint Philip Neri Catholic Church in Fort Mill, SC. We ask mourners to please wear something fun that you might wear for dinner on a cruise ship.
In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory can be made to either the American Cancer Society, or World Central Kitchen.
Condolences may be offered at www.McEwenPinevilleChapel.com
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