Claire Marie Carlin, age 91, passed away peacefully on September 26, 2024, with her family by her side.

A memorial mass will be held on October 7, 2024, at 11am at Corpus Christi Parish Center, 234 Southern Boulevard, Chatham Twp., NJ and Claire will be buried next to her late husband, Dr. Daniel J. Carlin (1928-1988) at St. Vincent Martyr Cemetery, 82 Noe Avenue, Madison, NJ.

Claire was born on October 11,1932 in Brooklyn, New York to John A. Toner and Lillian Toner. She was raised in Richmond Hill, Queens, NY along with her older brother Jack and younger siblings Marilyn and Gilbert (“Gil”). As a child Claire learned the importance of kindness and a strong work ethic from her mother Lillian who held two jobs yet always gave to those in need.

St. Catherine’s Hospital in Brooklyn, NY played a pivotal role in Claire’s life. It was there as a nursing student that Claire had the good fortune to start a lifelong friendship with Eileen Flanagan (later Eileen Valinoti). It was also at St. Catherine’s that Claire met and fell in love with Dr. Daniel (“Dan”) J. Carlin. They married in 1957 and after the birth of their first child Bill, the family moved to Dalton, Massachusetts where they welcomed sons Dan Jr., Steve, and Jim and daughter Mary. In pursuit of a specialization in neurology, Dan and the family moved to Worcester, MA  and then Quincy, MA (Tufts University School of Medicine). The Carlins suffered a tragedy in 1968 when son Andrew died shortly after birth.

In 1971 the family settled in Chatham Twp., NJ where son Christopher was born. While caring for her 6 children, Claire attended classes at night for 7 years to obtain her BA in Psychology from Caldwell College in 1981. She and Dan were active parishioners at Corpus Christi and made many wonderful friends in town.

After Dan had a fatal heart attack in 1988, Claire worked as a nurse on the adult rehab unit at Summit Oaks Hospital. She then moved to Lakewood, NJ, where she lived happily for some time. In her later years, Claire resided in assisted living in New Providence and then a nursing home in Sergeant Bluff, Iowa where she passed.

An avid reader since childhood, Claire read the New York Times every day and enjoyed mysteries and biographies. She loved fine art and traveling abroad. Claire lived for bargain hunting and happily trolled the aisles of Marshalls, JC Penney and outlet stores with her friends. Claire had a great sense of humor and quickly won over the aides and nurses who cared for her in her later years. She adored her children and was immensely proud of them.

Claire is survived by her sister Marilyn Herr (née Toner), son William T. Carlin and his wife Laurel Kircher, son Dr. Daniel J. Carlin and his wife Lisa Carlin, son Stephen C. Carlin and his wife Shelley Carlin, son James M. Carlin and his wife Donna Carlin, daughter Mary E. Carlin and her husband, Ross Minichiello, and son Christopher O. Carlin and his wife Sheryl Spain. Claire (aka “Grandma”, “Grandma Claire”, “C.C.”), had 12 grandchildren — Peter Carlin, Grace Carlin, Alexa Cabot (née Carlin), Savannah Carlin, Rive Carlin, Tessa Carlin, Andrew Carlin, Wesley Trobaugh, Whitney Pfister (née Trobaugh), Hannah Trobaugh, J. Maxwell Minichiello and Isabella Minichiello — and four great grandchildren — Bennett Pfister, Anne Pfister, Clara Pfister and Daniel Cabot.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Claire’s memory to Eva’s Village — https://www.evasvillage.org/donate.html.