Claire E. Wortelman
July 25, 1929 – December 01, 2020

 

 

 

Winter Haven, FL- Claire E. Wortelman, known as Nanny to her family, born July 25, 1929 formerly of Robbinsville, NJ and Englewood, FL, passed away at the age of 91 on Dec. 1 in Winter Haven, FL

Claire was a stay at home Mom when her sons were growing up in NJ but also became the wallpaper installer for her husband Walt who was a custom home builder. Claire enjoyed putting the final touches on the homes that Walt built, along with his sons as they got older.

Claire also enjoyed sun-bathing on their boat as the boys were growing up. The rule was that whenever Claire was on the boat, you could not go out past where Claire could see land. So….

Walt and the boys would wait until she fell asleep sun-bathing and then they would head out further where the fishing was better!

As time passed, Claire and Walt traded the water for highways and spent many weekends and vacations for many years traveling around the US in their motor  home. In 1988, they retired to FL.

Claire was the “craft lady” to all her friends. She could skillfully sew, create ceramics and paint them beautifully, knit, crochet, macromae, do counted cross stitch, work with plastic mesh and many other mediums. I don’t think there was a craft or handwork that she hadn’t mastered! She enjoyed doing them all herself but also loved teaching anything she knew to anyone that asked her for help learning.

Claire is survived by her 3 sons, Gary, his wife Gia and their son Weston all in NJ, his wife Alyssa and their 2 daughters, Harper and Reilly  and soon to  be third daughter  due March  of next year; Guy, his wife Kathy, and their 2 sons, Michael and Bryan, Michael’s wife Kim and  daughter Hailee, Bryan’s wife Breanna and their son Jeremiah and daughter Kyla all in FL; and Bruce along with his son Brandon and daughter Lauren of NC.

Private services will be held in Haines City, FL for the immediate family. If inclined, donations in Claire’s memory can be made to a charity of your choice for research into diabetes and/or heart disease.