Claire Caiati

1942 - 2024

Claire Caiati
Claire (Squillante) Caiati, age 82, of Westport, the loving wife of Richard J. Caiati for over sixty-one years, passed away peacefully at home on Monday, November 18, 2024 with her family by her side. She was born in New York City on February 7, 1942, the daughter of the late Sylvia (Basilice) and Sebastian "Sal" Squillante. The family moved to the Bronx – "the country" after the City claimed eminent domain over their neighborhood.
Claire and Richard met and spent their teenage years together hanging out at the corner candy store, smoking cigarettes and drinking malteds with their large circle of friends in the '50s. For many years, Claire did bookkeeping/accounting for various companies in NYC and continued after they moved to Westport. Her life's accomplishment however, came after she was introduced to Bill W. and the twelve steps. After years of commitment to the program and her recovery, she went back to school to become a substance abuse counselor. Over her 43 years of sobriety, she used her New York communication style to model and inspire others to be more rigorously honest. She did not shy away from difficult conversations and invited others to speak their truth and she certainly spoke hers. Her FIERCE belief in the program and recovery helped and saved countless numbers of people struggling with addiction.
Claire could always be found at her beloved Compo Beach spot between the cannons and first guard chair. She loved reading a good book, looking for beach glass and chatting with friends there. She enjoyed '50s music and dancing, her gardens and was a phenomenal Italian cook. For years, she was able to cook using her own fresh vegetables.
In addition to her husband, she is survived by her two devoted children, Richard Caiati and his wife, Danielle of Guilford and Lauren Caiati and her husband, Chris Mozolewski of Fairfield; and four cherished grandchildren, Brandon and Olivia Caiati and Grace and Sophia Mozolewski. Claire was predeceased by her sister, Gloria Squillante and her brother, Dominick Squillante.
Friends are invited to attend a Mass of Christian Burial on Monday, November 25, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. at the Church of the Assumption, 98 Riverside Avenue in Westport. Entombment will follow in the Oak Lawn Cemetery Mausoleum in Fairfield.
Donations may be made in Claire's memory to St. Luke's Church Stables, 84 Long Lots Road, Westport, CT 06880 or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude’s Place, Memphis, TN 38105, www.stjude.org.
To send an online condolence, please visit www.shaughnesseybanks.com.