Clare Kathleen Gellene

Clare Kathleen Gellene (nee Ryan), 90, of Wayne, passed away on Tuesday, May 18 in the loving care of her family.

Clare was born August 22, 1930 in Paterson and grew up in Clifton, the second daughter of Thomas Ryan, a self-taught machinist, and Martha (McCoy) Ryan, a homemaker. Clare always spoke with pride that her father’s skills were high in demand, allowing him to stay employed during the worst depths of the Great Depression.

Clare attended St. George’s Elementary School and St. John’s High School, both in Paterson. As a teenager, she enjoyed the music of her favorite singer, Frankie Laine, and was a member of St. John’s varsity cheerleading squad. After graduating from high school in 1948, Clare went on to learn secretarial skills at Katherine Gibbs College, excelling to land a prestigious executive secretary position with Philip Morris in Manhattan.

She married her husband of 59 years, John Francis Gellene, on April 25, 1953 at their home parish of St. George’s Roman Catholic Church in Paterson. Though John went to St. Peter’s Prep in Jersey City, he attended dances at St. John’s, hoping to catch the attention of Clare, whom he first met in grade school. Their first official date was at the Jersey Shore, where Clare, a friend, and her friend’s family were invited for dinner at the Belmar summer home of John’s parents. When dinner was finished, John took Clare to the movies to see “Great Expectations,” leaving everyone else behind.

Soon after her marriage, Clare left her job at Philip Morris to raise a family. They moved in 1957 from Paterson to a newly built home in Wayne, where they raised their six children and lived the rest of their lives.

Throughout her life, Clare was guided by her deep Catholic faith. She and John were founding members of Our Lady of the Valley R.C. Church in Wayne. They passed along their faith to their children, sending them to Our Lady of the Valley School and DePaul Catholic High School. She and John attended Baptisms, First Holy Communions and Confirmations of their grandchildren, whether they were in New Jersey, New York, Virginia, Texas, Indiana, Massachusetts, or California. Clare prayed the rosary nightly and attended or watched Mass daily. For many years, she participated in Bible study and taught CCD, devoting hours each week to preparing students’ lessons. She was a member of the Adoration Society Chapel, committing herself to serving several hours every week. She also prepared meatballs at home to feed those in need at Eva’s Kitchen in Paterson.

Clare was an avid collector of stuffed bears, including one dressed as a New York Yankee stationed near the television set when she watched the team play. She was skilled at knitting and embroidering, making sweaters and other gifts for her children and grandchildren. An enthusiastic gardener, she spent many happy spring afternoons filling her flowerbeds with colorful petunias and impatiens, and tending to her prized azaleas, rhododendrons, and peonies.

Clare was quick with a smile, loved to laugh, and had a special ability to laugh at herself. One family tradition at gatherings was a competitive pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey game, the highlight of which was Clare’s hilarious effort to pin the tail in the vicinity of the picture. Her home was always immaculate, and in her later years, whenever her adult children visited from out-of-state, she was sure to stock their favorite breakfast cereal, as well as a supply of ground coffee, which she didn’t drink herself.

Throughout her life Clare was proudest of her family. In 2015, 52 members of her family gathered in Belmar to celebrate her 85th birthday. In 2020, during the height of the pandemic, family members throughout the United States celebrated her 90th birthday on a Zoom gathering.

Clare was preceded in death by her husband, John, and a sister, Nora Ryan Bailey.

Clare is survived by her children Denise Gellene Bates (James) of Arcadia, CA, John G. Gellene (Jean) of New York City, Gregory Gellene (Deborah) of Lubbock, TX, Lisa Gallagher (Eugene) of Mahwah, David Gellene (Ellen) Yorktown, VA, and Matthew Gellene (Beth) of Needham, MA; cherished grandmother of 19 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren; sisters Patricia Lyness of Toms River and Janet Sabeh of Edison.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Clare’s memory to Eva’s Village, the successor to Eva’s Kitchen, 393 Main St., Paterson,  N.J. 07501.