Claire was born September 20, 1938, in New York, NY, to the late Murray and Phyllis (nee Annunziata) Salkind.
Claire met the love of her life, Mario Fortunato, at a friend’s house in 1955. Excited to start their new lives together, the two were married on August 9, 1958.
Before she dedicated her life to raising their 3 beautiful girls, Claire worked as a secretary in advertising on Madison Avenue, a fashion model for furs, and a realtor. While raising her girls she became an avid home chef and recipe lover. Everyone who knew Claire has been blessed with Claire’s prayers, her protective stars, and her amazing coffee cake, pesto, manicotti, Sunday gravy, and her special crepes, just to name a few.
Claire was preceded in death by her husband Mario and her daughter Gina. She is survived by her daughters Danielle Fortunato and Claudine Ray, Claudine’s husband Timothy, her cherished grandchildren Robert, Timothy, and Nicole, her loving sister Beverly Padovani, and her nephews, nieces, cousins, and dear friends, all of whom brought her endless joy.
Funeral service will be held at 10:00 am, on Monday, July 22, 2024, at St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church, 5130 Rattlesnake Hammock Road, Naples, FL 34113.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in Claire’s memory may be made to: St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital https://fundraising.stjude.org/site/TR/DIY/DIY?px=8451746&pg=personal&fr_id=154020
or The Lustgarden Foundation for Pancreatic Research https://events.lustgarten.org/fundraiser/5634226