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November 3, 1929
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October 26, 2026
Services
All services will be private.
Columbia Celeste (Lardiere), passed away peacefully on October 26, 2026 at 96 years old. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband Joseph (Joe), with whom she shared more than 70 wonderful years of marriage. Connie (as she was known by family and friends) was born in Newark, NJ and was a long time resident of Clark, NJ, Easton, PA and Wayne, NJ. She attended St. Agnes Church in Clark and St. Mark’s Church in Rahway until moving out of the area.
Connie graduated from Barringer High School in Newark, NJ. She entered the workforce in an administrative role. She worked as a bookkeeper for Pabst, Short Hills TV and JC Electronics and worked in several law offices. After marriage and her first child was born, she turned her attention to her family and community. Connie was an active volunteer at her children’s schools. She would often be seen helping in the library, PTA, classroom mom and with after school activities. One of Connie’s most notable activities was her weekly time as a volunteer at Rahway Hospital, now known as RWJ Hospital of Rahway NJ. Every week, Connie would volunteer to distribute cards, letters, flowers and gifts to patients. She especially enjoyed bringing the lending book cart to patient rooms and discuss with them the current book they were reading. This was her way of distracting patients if only for a few minutes from the real reason they were in the hospital. Connie earned several awards for the significant amount of volunteer hours she gave to the hospital.
Throughout her life, her greatest joys were her four children. Connie was always ready to sew a costume for one child in a school play, attend annual glee club and band concerts or cheer from the stands for one playing baseball and another on the wrestling team. She was always present for milestone academic awards, graduations or weddings. In later years, her joys expanded to her seven grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. Connie would often baby sit to give her exhausted adult children some time to recharge. She would attend many events for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren when she could, and when she was not able to do so, she would always send a card or note making each child feel special and loved.
In addition to her husband Joe, Connie was also predeceased by her mother, Josephine and step-father Howard Dassing and two of her siblings, June Klahr (Lardiere) and Robert Lardiere.
Surviving are her loving children, Karen and her husband Patrick Ruby, Joseph Jr and his wife Mary, Diana and her husband Joseph Sznaza and Mark and his wife Loreen. She is also survived by 7 grandchildren - Jennifer (Ruby) and her husband Joseph Losco, Patricia (Ruby) and her husband William Bachmann, Kristen (Ruby) and her husband Donald Cervellini, Kathryn (Ruby) and her husband Tyler Tresslar and Olivia, Joseph and Chelsea Sznaza. In addition, Connie is survived by her 8 great grandchildren - Dylan and Alyssa Losco, Emma and Wyatt Bachmann, Clayton Cervellini and Jack, Ian and Layne Tresslar. Connie is also survived by her brother Joseph Lardiere and several nieces and nephews.
If you would like to send a private condolence directly to the family use this condolence section.
All services will be private.
November 8, 2026
October 26, 2026
Services
All services will be private.
Columbia Celeste (Lardiere), passed away peacefully on October 26, 2026 at 96 years old. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband Joseph (Joe), with whom she shared more than 70 wonderful years of marriage. Connie (as she was known by family and friends) was born in Newark, NJ and was a long time resident of Clark, NJ, Easton, PA and Wayne, NJ. She attended St. Agnes Church in Clark and St. Mark’s Church in Rahway until moving out of the area.
Connie graduated from Barringer High School in Newark, NJ. She entered the workforce in an administrative role. She worked as a bookkeeper for Pabst, Short Hills TV and JC Electronics and worked in several law offices. After marriage and her first child was born, she turned her attention to her family and community. Connie was an active volunteer at her children’s schools. She would often be seen helping in the library, PTA, classroom mom and with after school activities. One of Connie’s most notable activities was her weekly time as a volunteer at Rahway Hospital, now known as RWJ Hospital of Rahway NJ. Every week, Connie would volunteer to distribute cards, letters, flowers and gifts to patients. She especially enjoyed bringing the lending book cart to patient rooms and discuss with them the current book they were reading. This was her way of distracting patients if only for a few minutes from the real reason they were in the hospital. Connie earned several awards for the significant amount of volunteer hours she gave to the hospital.
Throughout her life, her greatest joys were her four children. Connie was always ready to sew a costume for one child in a school play, attend annual glee club and band concerts or cheer from the stands for one playing baseball and another on the wrestling team. She was always present for milestone academic awards, graduations or weddings. In later years, her joys expanded to her seven grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. Connie would often baby sit to give her exhausted adult children some time to recharge. She would attend many events for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren when she could, and when she was not able to do so, she would always send a card or note making each child feel special and loved.
In addition to her husband Joe, Connie was also predeceased by her mother, Josephine and step-father Howard Dassing and two of her siblings, June Klahr (Lardiere) and Robert Lardiere.
Surviving are her loving children, Karen and her husband Patrick Ruby, Joseph Jr and his wife Mary, Diana and her husband Joseph Sznaza and Mark and his wife Loreen. She is also survived by 7 grandchildren - Jennifer (Ruby) and her husband Joseph Losco, Patricia (Ruby) and her husband William Bachmann, Kristen (Ruby) and her husband Donald Cervellini, Kathryn (Ruby) and her husband Tyler Tresslar and Olivia, Joseph and Chelsea Sznaza. In addition, Connie is survived by her 8 great grandchildren - Dylan and Alyssa Losco, Emma and Wyatt Bachmann, Clayton Cervellini and Jack, Ian and Layne Tresslar. Connie is also survived by her brother Joseph Lardiere and several nieces and nephews.
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