Clara (Claire) Hrinuk

Clara “Claire” Hrinuk, 96 of Clifton, passed away peacefully on June 3rd 2023, with members of her family and her beloved caregiver at her side.

Claire, a Clifton resident since 1954, was born April 8, 1927 in Passaic, NJ to John and Josephine Wasyl.  She was a first generation American, as both her parents arrived in the United States from Poland in the early 1900s.

Claire was a true woman of faith, very devoted to Jesus, and spent her days watching the Catholic mass, praying the rosary and living a life of love.

Prior to marriage, Claire was a beautician and also worked at Westinghouse. But for most of her life, Claire was a stay-at-home mother raising her three children and later caring for her grandchildren. One of her favorite memories was when she would care for her first two grandsons, Robbie and Zach, arriving early in the morning at their homes and remaining with them until the end of the workday.

She had an incredible memory and could recall many important moments in U.S. History or important milestones in her life sharing the backstory to what life was like in the 1900s.

Claire loved to cook, bake cakes and cookies, knit and keep up on the latest in world news and politics. She was an avid reader who would spend hours looking at the newspaper or reading biographies.

Claire was her own meteorologist. With her multiple artificial knee and hip replacements (the surgery dates of which she could recite in a second’s notice decades later), she would predict rain or snow based on how her legs felt. Sure enough she was always right!

Claire had a great sense of humor. Always finding a way to make someone laugh, even in an effort to get her way. Her famous scream, “FRED”, for her husband could be heard by all as she tried to track down where he was on their property whenever she needed him. Until her final hours, Claire always had a big smile on her face. Like her late husband, she had quite the appetite and would enjoy her meals and holidays. If you put anything in front of her, especially if it was a sweet or chocolate, it would be gone in minutes.

Claire treasured the home she and Fred built together sixty-five years ago where they raised their family. She knew exactly where everything was at the home and should it be moved even an inch, she would notice.

Claire married her beloved husband Fred on September 12, 1954, and they enjoyed 65 wonderful years together until his passing in 2019. She is survived by three children, Fred J. and his wife Elaine of Springfield, N.J. and their children Zachary and Emily, Robert, his wife Karen and son Jake of Jacksonville F.L., Arlene Szwed, her husband Michael and daughter Melissa of Darnestown M.D. and several nieces, nephews and cousins. She is also survived by her grand-dog Ponchi, who helped get her through her ups and downs in recent years.

Claire was pre-deceased by her husband, Fred, her mother Josephine and father John, sister Edwina Gum and grandson, Robert “Robbie” Hrinuk.

Visitation will be held at the Bizub-Quinlan Funeral Home, 1313 Van Houten Avenue, Clifton, NJ on Friday June 9th from 3:00PM-7:00PM.

A mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Phillip The Apostle Roman Catholic Church, 797 Valley Road, Clifton, NJ at 10:00 AM. Interment will immediately follow at East Ridgelawn Cemetery, 255 Main Avenue, Clifton, NJ.

As Claire was a huge animal lover, in lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Claire’s name to St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center (P.O. BOX 159 575 Woodland Ave Madison, NJ 07940) for the care of animals arriving at the shelter during their busy summer months. Please visit www.bizubquinlan.com to leave online condolences to the family on the Tribute Wall of Mrs. Hrinuk's obituary page.

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