Clara L. Swan

Clara L. Swan, 99, died June 30, 2012, at Golden View Nursing Home, Meredith, NH. More commonly known in later years as "Aunt Clara", she was born in New York City on September 16, 1912 to Maria Urciuoli. Aunt Clara was raised in the Dumont and Bergenfield, New Jersey areas attending local schools before quitting in the 8th grade, when she joined her two older sisters Rose and Therese working in the garment districts of New York and New Jersey. A dress maker/seamstress by trade, she married her sweetheart Anthony Swan in 1934 and remained married until his death in 1951. She never remarried. Never a biological mother, Aunt Clara was given the opportunity to raise children as her own after the untimely death of her niece Eileen Raymond of Park Ridge, NJ, in 1964. Just 3 years shy of a 20-year vested retirement, and at the age of 50, Aunt Clara quit her job and gave up her pension rights to move in and care for her grand niece and nephew, who came to know her more as a mother. Suzanne and Tony Raymond were ages 5 and 1 at the time. After her "children" grew up, she was later instrumental in the raising and child care assistance of the next generation, her great-grand nephews, Anthony, Nicholas, and Stephen Raymond of Holderness, NH. Her sense of sacrifice, generational perspectives, oral histories, and her many Italian recipes continue onward as important philosophies, lessons, knowledge, and nourishment in the family she leaves behind, who include: Niece/daughter Suzanne Raymond Kogan and her husband Robert, of Ringwood, NJ., Nephew/son Tony Raymond, and his wife Mary of Holderness, NH., Nephews John Raymond of Brick, NJ, Brian Raymond of Wycoff, NJ., and Gary Raymond of Dallas, TX., And her great-grand niece/nephew Amy and Christopher Kogan of Ringwood, NJ. She was especially close to her sister Rose's son, nephew Anthony J. Raymond of Pensacola, FL., whose children it was she helped raise, and whose cottage business (Vinga Court on Squam Lake in Holderness, New Hampshire) she helped run. Family and friends will celebrate a Mass of Christian Burial on Wednesday at 9:30am, at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, 300 Rte. 25, Meredith, NH. Private interment services will take place at a later date in New Jersey. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to First Star Tonight (75 Main Street, Suite 4, Plymouth, NH 03264), a non-profit organization dedicated to helping chronically and terminally ill children and young adults in the Central New Hampshire region. The Mayhew Funeral Homes of Meredith and Plymouth are assisting the family with the arrangements.

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Clara L. Swan

September 16, 1912 - June 30, 2012