Clara Petlik (nee: Bandur), 91, a lifelong resident of Bayonne, entered into eternal rest peacefully on Monday, April 6, 2020. Clara was the youngest of 13 children born to Stanley and Solomea Bandur.
On May 20, 1950, she married the love of her life, John, where together they built a beautiful life and shared a deep abiding love for each other and their two children. Before dedicating herself to being a homemaker, Clara worked as a secretary for the Bayonne Naval Base then for the Maidenform Company in Bayonne.
She held membership for over 50 years with the Royal Arcanum Versatility Council #2501, where she was one of their first Orators. She was a longtime member and past officer of the Concerned Citizens in Bayonne and was an active member of the Downtown Seniors of Bayonne.
Clara's favorite pastimes included trips to the Jersey Shore and the mountains, listening to Polish music, and being in the company of her dear friends. She appreciated nature and the outdoors and would spend hours on end in her backyard. Above all, nothing brought greater joy and tremendous pride to Clara than spending time with her family and doting over her two beautiful grandchildren. She leaves behind a legacy of love, faith and a life well-lived.
Clara was predeceased by her beloved husband John (in 1992), her parents, Stanley and Solomea (nee: Ziobro) Bandur, five sisters, Anna Zera, Theresa Michalski, Bertha Banacki, Priscilla Koran, and Matilda Podraza, and seven brothers, Joseph, John Walter, Edward, Charles, Michael, and Stanley Bandur.
Left to cherish her memory are her daughter Judith Relovsky and her husband Michael, her son Carl and his wife Geraldine (Geri), her two adored grandchildren, Natasha and John Relovsky, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Memorial contributions in Clara's memory may be made to the Deborah Hospital Foundation or the Alzheimer’s Association.
God has called our mother
Away from a world of strife,
To shine among the angels
In a fairer, brighter life.
Safe in the arms of Jesus,
Safe from all grief and sin,
Forever and forever,
Where all is pure within.
Our hearts are full of sorrow,
And tears have dimmed our eyes,
But we shall meet her once again,
In the home beyond the skies.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, funeral services was privately held.
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