Celeste Gardiner

Celeste (Opsomer) Gardiner, age 108, of Wayne, passed away peacefully Monday, June 9, 2025 surrounded by those who loved her.

Celeste was born in Sweveghem, Belgium to Hector Josef and Zulma Selvie Opsomer on April 21, 1917, just a year and a half before the end of WWI, a war in which her father fought and received a Medal of Honor for his service.  On November 15, 1927, at age 9, Celeste arrived in the USA via the SS Lapland Steamliner and entered America through Ellis Island with her parents and older sister, Estella.  The Opsomer family, through their sponsor, Charles Castelein, made their home in the Bunker Hill section of Paterson.  Celeste was a life-long resident of Passaic County.  A full-time homemaker, later in life Celeste made a life-changing decision to attend Capri Institute of Cosmetology in Clifton from which she graduated and worked as a beautician and manicurist until her retirement. Years later her granddaughter, Christine, followed in her footsteps and graduated from the same school for cosmetology.

Due to the crash of the stock market in 1929, and only two years in America, Celeste and Estella were compelled to seek work to help provide for the family.  Their father worked for Crucible Steel and was a barber for extra income.  Her mother remained a homemaker.  At age 11, Celeste worked for a shirt factory in Paterson as a ‘clipper’, cutting and securing the threads between the garments coming off the line.

As a teenager she met her future husband on a blind date arranged through friends. There are many stories of late nights, big band music and dance halls, and long walks to and from as cars were too costly at the time.  She was soon impressed when Frank bought a new Ford with a rumble seat.  They were married in Our Lady of Lourdes Church on November 7, 1937, making their home in Paterson.  They honeymooned in Niagara Falls and once made a joke that they actually went back years later to see the Falls. Their marriage lasted 73 years before Frank’s passing on June 9, 2010, exactly 15 years prior to the day of Celeste’s passing.

Celeste as a youth was a member of Our Lady of Lourdes School and Parish in Paterson.  Later in life she and Frank and their family found their home in South Paterson and were long-time members of St. George’s R.C. Church.  The Gardiner family moved to Wayne in 1964 and is currently a member of Our Lady of the Valley Church in Wayne.

Celeste so loved her home in Wayne where she resided for 60 years and enjoyed their summer home in Marshall’s Creek.  Her passion was gardening, indoors and out, and was known to have an incredible “green thumb”; something she inherited from her father and passed on to at least one of her children.  She also loved her Bingo but would only play for money and enjoyed raising her arm and yelling “woo-hoo” when she won, often followed by a little friendly but competitive game of 7-card Poker.  She also enjoyed an occasional quiet moment peering out her window to the beautiful waterfall and lily pond below listening to her favorite music, Elvis Presley and Jackie Evancho.

Celeste was a passionate, dedicated, hard-working, devoted and loving mother to their three daughters – Barbara, Beverly and Brenda.  She never sat still.  She was always working in the house and in the yard making sure everything was neat, orderly, always taking pride in everything she did. 

Celeste was an avid knitter and while Frank watched TV, they sat in their matching recliners as she toiled away making baby blankets, always trying to keep one or two ahead of her growing family.  Each of their 16 great-grandchild and one great-great-grandchild, has a well-loved, some well-worn remnants of a blanket made with Celeste’s love and affection for her entire family. Celeste was also an excellent cook. Everything from scratch, Frank’s favorites were her creamy mashed potatoes and home-made gravy and her crusty-on-the-outside pink-in-the-middle eye of round roasts.  Everyone raved about and tried to duplicate her recipes for potato salad and deviled eggs.  Celeste hosted her first Thanksgiving dinner for the entire family just 18 days after she and Frank wed.  She prepared every Thanksgiving dinner for the next 50 plus years until one turkey wasn’t enough, 10 pounds of potatoes didn’t make it around the table and Frank couldn’t extend the dining table any further for the growing family. The family tradition was moved to the Lafayette House until after Frank’s passing and the family dinner was passed on to another family member.

Celeste and Frank were long-time active members of the Wanaque Senior Citizens Club.  They made many friends and traveled often with the group.  Once Frank retired, they spent much time traveling across the USA mainland and took memorable trips to Hawaii and Versailles, France.

Strong-willed, independent and a fighter to the end. Celeste loved her home and her family and friends.  Born during WWI and the pandemic of 1917, she lived through the Depression, WWII, all the wars that followed, and the pandemic of 2020.  Life was good, but times were tough. Frank worked for Crucible Steel and later Curtis-Wright during and following WWII.  Once the war efforts ended and to preempt a lay-off, Frank became a licensed general agent for John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Company and later All-American Life Insurance Companies until his retirement.  Even though Frank had a supervisory position at Curtis-Wright during the war, living on rations for meat, sugar and flour was difficult.  Celeste was a master in making things work with whatever she had at the time.

Celeste was a very empathetic person yet was known for the school of hard knocks approach to life. Celeste always said, you have to have a good sense of humor to get through life or you won’t make it, and she always took her own advice.  Regardless of the circumstances, Celeste was always happy, could tell a good joke, and made the people around her feel comfortable and welcomed.  Celeste was always smiling, loved to be with people, enjoyed keeping up with and discussing current events.  She was willing but not pushy in giving advice and her opinion on a situation, like it or not, sometimes it was just what you needed to hear.

In November of 2018, Celeste was thrilled to meet Judge Jeanine Pirro at a Guardian of The Family Banquet dinner and book signing and wowed the Judge when she raced with her walker up to the front of the line and told her she was a mere 101 years old. The Judge reached across the table to hug her.

Celeste was predeceased by her parents, Hector and Zulma Opsomer; her sister, Estella Winschuh and brother-in-law William Winschuh, beloved wife of 73 years to the late Frank W. Gardiner, and her son-in-law Thomas Colella.

Celeste is survived by her three daughters Barbara (Anthony) Toscano of Wayne, Beverly (widow to Thomas) Colella of Wayne and Brenda Aldi of Hardyston (fiancé John Hauck) of Frelinghuysen. 

Loving grandmother to her nine grandchildren Michael (Caryn) of Wayne, Matthew (Colette) of Annandale VA, Jeffrey (Judy) of Bay Minette AL, Michele (Phil) of Lincoln Park, Tom (Christine) of Wayne, Dawn Marie (Pat) of Pompton Lakes, Jessica (Chris) of Sparta, Christine (Bill) of Oak Ridge, Marissa (Sterling) of Sandy UT.

Loving great-grandmother to her 16 great-grandchildren Mikey (Sarah), Vincent, Jayden, Jocelyn, Ashley, Brooke, Reid, Ryan, Pasquale, Amanda, Daniella, Dominic, Lily, Bryce, Bane and Sage.

Loving great-great grandmother to her one great-great grandson, Michael “MJ” Joseph.

The family would like to thank Merry Heart Assted Living for their outstanding care, kindness, compassion and dedicated staff.  A special thank you to her private care givers, Oscar and Felix but especially to Elizabeth “Lizzy” who cared for Celeste 16 hours a day, 7 days a week, for the last 8 weeks.  We are eternally grateful.

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In lieu of flowers, the family request donations be made in Celeste’s memory to the Charity of your choice.  If you do not have a charity in mind, please consider donating in Celeste’s Memory to any of Merry Heart’s facilities living, rehabilitation, nursing care and memory units (Checks are to be made out to Merry Heart and mailed to 200 Route 10 West, Succasunna, NJ 07876).