Margaret Clifton

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Former Dongan Hills resident Margaret Clifton, 89, of Middletown, N.J., a loving mother and grandmother who enjoyed entertaining family and friends, died Friday in the Bayshore Nursing Facility, Hazlet, N.J.

Born Margaret O'Donnell in Manhattan, Mrs. Clifton lived in Dongan Hills for more than 65 years. She had lived in Middletown for the past four years.

Primarily a homemaker, she also worked as a travel agent for Monte Travel, Dongan Hills, during the 1970s and 1980s.

Mrs. Clifton was a longtime member of Cedar Grove Beach Club and the Women's Guild of Historic Richmond Town. In Middletown, she was a member of the Senior Center and the Crochet Club.

Her greatest pleasure was preparing Sunday meals for her family and dear friends, family said. She also enjoyed cooking, travel, embroidery and crocheting.

She was a longtime parishioner of St. Ann's R.C. Church, Dongan Hills, and was more recently a parishioner of St. Mary's R.C. Church in Middletown.

"She was kind and loving and she spent a lot of her energy on her family and her longtime friends,'' said her daughter, Diane Sussuma. "She loved to cook us Sunday dinner and she always loved to entertain.''

Her husband of 40 years, Frederick T. Clifton, died in 1987. Surviving, in addition to her daughter, Diane, are her daughters, Barbra Clifton, Patricia Hartie and Mary Lamb; a brother, William O'Donnell; 12 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren.

Visiting is Sunday, November 23rd, 2014, 2-4pm & 7-9pm @ Virginia Funeral Chapel, 1707 Hylan Boulevard, Staten Island, NY 10305.

The funeral will be Monday, from the Virginia Funeral Home, Dongan Hills, with a mass at 9:45 a.m. in St. Ann's R.C. Church. Burial will be in Moravian Cemetery.