Clare was born on June 3, 1924, in Columbus Ohio to Lorenzo and Fanny Lehner. Her father, Lorenzo died shortly before Clare was born and her mother raised Clare and her three siblings: Larry, Pauline and Margaret on her own. To keep the family together Fanny took in laundry and son Larry dropped out of school to support the family. Clare contracted rheumatic fever and it was in the sanitorium where she was sent to recover that she found her life’s calling: helping others. A child herself, she took on teaching the younger patients, many of them suffering from polio.
After high school Clare became a registered nurse but due to her damaged heart, was not strong enough for hospital work. A talented artist, she attended Ohio Wesleyan University where she received a Fine Arts Degree and most importantly, she met the love of her life, Paul Austin Callender. They were married on December 20, 1949 and moved to Paul’s home state of New Jersey where they settled in Oak Ridge and had three children: Beth, Bruce and Jamie.
In 1955 they moved to Lake Mohawk, NJ where they lived for the next 60 years. Once the children were in school Clare returned to her first love, helping others, but this time as a school nurse at Andover Regional schools where she worked for 25 years. In her forties she received a master’s degree in social work that enabled her to better support her beloved students and the close relationships she formed lasted until the end.
Clare also contributed to the community by leading the Big Sister/Big Brother organizations and helping to establish a Planned Parenthood clinic so women could obtain birth control locally. She was devoted to the Unitarian Fellowship in Newton, NJ that her husband founded and it was a center of their lives.
After retiring Clare cared for her husband’s father, doing such a good job that he lived to 105. At the same time her husband Paul was diagnosed with Parkinson’s, and she selflessly dedicated herself to caring for him until he died in 2008.
Clare never lived for herself, so in her upper 80’s she developed a friendship with Albert Riggs whose wife had also died and they became close companions until he died in 2018. Now, in the final phase of her life as a very, very old person (her words) Clare had no one to care for, except her beloved cat Kitty and she did something she’d never done before – sat down and read novels – romance novels at that! She never lost her sweet, giving nature and baked “Clare’s Cookies” until the end.
Clare is survived by her three children: Beth, Bruce (Robin) and Jamie (Debby), her four grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. One sadness in her life was not being able to spend more time with the “grands” and “greats” since they lived in other states, but she rested easy knowing they were growing up healthy and happy, continuing the love that brought her into the world and now passed on to them.
A Memorial Service will be held Saturday, July 27 at Goble Funeral Home in Sparta, NJ. There will be an informal visitation from 1pm to 3pm and a Celebration of Clare’s Life starting at 3pm.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Clare's memory to Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice by clicking the link below.
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