Clare Celano Obituary
Born on January 21, 1949, in Brooklyn, NY, she was the eldest of three children of Charles and Sophie Celano. Clare graduated as a Registered Nurse on November 29, 1968, fulfilling her lifelong calling to care for and help others.
On December 7, 1968, she married the love of her life, Vincent Masi. Together they raised three beautiful children, to whom Clare devoted her life with unwavering love and dedication.
Later in her career, Clare followed her passion for writing, becoming an accomplished author and journalist. In 2003, she was honored with the NJPA Journalist of the Year award. She wrote for Greater Media Newspapers, The Star-Ledger, and numerous freelance publications. Known to many, her favorite "office" was Starbucks, where she wrote countless stories that touched readers' hearts.
Clare's interests included music, knitting, reading, and spending time with her family, who brought her the greatest joy of all. Her proudest moments were those shared with her children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.
Clare also faced a ten-month medical journey marked by extraordinary strength and resilience, achieving beautiful milestones even through difficult challenges.
She is survived by her beloved children, their partners her cherished grandchildren, treasured nieces and nephews, and her brother and plenty of friends she called family.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Rose of Lima Church in Freehold. Monday, September 15th at 10:30 am followed by Internment at St. Rose of Lima Cemetery, Freehold.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to help launch The CCH Foundation (Clare Celano Humanitarian Foundation), a charitable organization dedicated to creating meaningful change in healthcare. The foundation's mission focuses on mental health, disabilities, and accountability for better care within hospitals, subacute facilities, long-term acute care centers, and nursing homes.
To honor Clare's legacy and continue her fight for compassionate care, please visit: https://www.gofundme.com/f/honor-clare-celano-support-cch-foundation.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
1 Entry
Sharon Shutzer
September 12, 2025
I adored Clare. I first met her when our daughters attended St. Rose School together. We continued our friendship when she became a reporter who covered Freehold Borough happenings. I often sat with her and chatted in her Starbucks "office." We shared a lot of Starbucks brownies and other goodies over the years. We shared many of the same values, and we laughed together often. Clare was an absolutely lovely lady who will be missed by all who knew and respected her.
Sharon Shutzer
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