Mercy Sister Mary Brian Clarey, 82
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Nov. 7 for Mercy Sister Mary Brian Clarey.
Sister Mary Brian died Nov. 3 in McAuley Hall Health Care Center, Watchung, at age 82, after a long illness.
Born in Perth Amboy, she entered the New Jersey Regional Community of the Sisters of Mercy of New Jersey in 1941.
She received a bachelor of science degree in elementary education from Georgian Court College, Lakewood.
For over 50 years, she taught in parochial elementary schools in Atlantic City and Piscataway. Sister Mary Brian also served as principal at Saints Philip and James School, Phillipsburg; St. Joseph School, Keyport; St. Joseph School, North Plainfield; as assistant principal in St. Francis Cathedral School, Metuchen, and as supervisor of elementary schools of the Sisters of Mercy in New Jersey.
After retiring, she spent a few years at Georgian Court College before moving to McAuley Hall Health Care Center in 1999.
She is survived by many nieces, nephew, grandnieces and grandnephews.
Funeral arrangements were made by Higgins Home for Funerals, Watchung. Burial was in Holy Redeemer Cemetery, South Plainfield.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Sister of Mercy, Mount Saint Mary, 1645 Highway 22, Watchung, NJ 07069.
Gail R. DeLessio, 68
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Nov. 10 in Our Lady of the Lake Chapel, Newburgh, N.Y., for Gail R. DeLessio, mother of Thomas A. DeLessio, diocesan director of music.
Mrs. DeLessio died Nov. 6 in St. Luke’s Hospital, Newburgh, at age 68.
Born Sept. 16, 1937 to the late Adam and Dorothy E. Beahm Sweikata, Mrs. DeLessio grew up in Montgomery, N.Y. and moved to Newburgh after her marriage to John P. DeLessio.
A retired clerk for the city of Newburgh Police Department, she had also worked as a proof reader for the former Stewart Citizen, a Newburgh newspaper. She served as a Girl Scout and Cub Scout mother and was a member of the former Union Grove School PTO. She enjoyed painting, cooking, crocheting, sewing, playing computer games, gardening, playing the piano and reading.
Mrs. DeLessio is predeceased by her brother Arthur T. Sweikata. She is survived by her husband; sons Thomas, John, Jr., Michael and Paul; 12 grandchildren, and many cousins, nieces and nephews.
Funeral arrangements were made by Gridley-Horan Funeral Home, Walden, N.Y. Burial was at St. Mary Cemetery, Montgomery.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. Patrick Parish Food Program, Grand Street, Newburgh, NY 12550.
Magdolna Kalmar, 72
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Nov. 2 in St. Cecelia Church, Iselin, for Magdolna Kalmar, mother of Erica Kalmar, human resources benefits manager, Catholic Charities, Perth Amboy.
Mrs. Kalmar died Oct. 29 in Roosevelt Care Center, Edison, at age 72.
Born in Budapest, Hungary, she lived in Iselin for 40 years. She was employed as an electrical draftsperson by ABB Corp., North Brunswick, for 22 years until her retirement.
Mrs. Kalmar was a member of St. Cecelia Parish, Iselin.
She is survived by her husband of 42 years, Louis Kalmar; two daughters: Erica Kalmar and Christina Kalmar, Avenel; two brothers, Imre Duppong of Germany, and Michael Duppong of Brazil; and a grandson, Alex Kalmar of Iselin.
Funeral arrangements were made by Thomas J. Costello Funeral Home, Iselin. Interment was private.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the National Parkinson’s Foundation, Inc., 1501 N.W. Ninth Ave., Bob Hope Road, Miami, FL 33136-1494.
Arthur R. Nester, 79
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Nov. 11 in St. Anne Church, Fair Lawn, for Arthur R. Nester, father of Kathleen Campbell, program coordinator at the Emmaus House, Perth Amboy.
Nester died Nov. 7 in Valley Hospital, Ridgewood, at age 79.
Born in the Bronx, N.Y., he lived in Fair Lawn for 50 years. He served in the Navy during World War II, and later owned and operated Hi-Lite Chemicals, Inc., Garfield, for 30 years. He was still working there at the time of his death.
Nester was a member of St. Therese Parish, Paterson, and later of St. Anne Parish. He was also a member of the American Legion Post #171, Fair Lawn.
Predeceased by his brother Frank Nestor, he is survived by his wife, Ann; four sons: Richard, Michael, Robert and John; three daughters: Patricia Queen, Mary Baig and Kathleen Campbell; a sister, Margerite Napoleon, and eight grandchildren.
Funeral arrangements were made by Vander Plaat Colonial Home, Inc., Fair Lawn. Internment was in George Washington Memorial Park, Paramus.
*The attached/referenced article was originally published in The Catholic Spirit, the official newspaper of the Diocese of Metuchen, and is protected under U.S. and international copyright law