Clara Susan Contestabile, 88, of Westminster, MD died July 15, 2013 in Westminster, and will be greatly missed by friends and family.
     Born June 11, 1925 in Malden, MA, Clara (a.k.a. Claire) was the daughter of Carmella and Carmelo Cuscuna. For 45 years she was married to the late John A. Contestabile (a.k.a. Jay Conte, longtime musician in the Boston/ Worcester, MA. areas). Claire was a homemaker residing in Stoneham, where she raised her family and later Leicester, MA. For several years, she and her husband owned and operated the “JB Rail Stop” restaurant and nightclub in Spencer, MA. In 1996 Claire moved to Westminster, MD to be with son and family after her husband’s passing.
     Throughout her life Claire volunteered her time and talent to her communities, serving as a Girl Scout Regional Coordinator, a dance school recital coordinator, and a soup kitchen worker and devotional prayer volunteer for St. Johns Catholic Church in Westminster.
Surviving are her sister, Lillian Kinney of Billerica, MA; her son John and daughter-in-law Janice Contestabile of Westminster, MD; daughter Zephryn Conte of Mesa, AZ; and grandchildren, Jenna, Kaila and Jon Contestabile. She was pre-deceased by brothers, Tony and Arthur Cuscuna.
     The family will receive friends from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. on Friday, July 19 at the J. Henri Morin & Son Funeral Home, 23 Maple Terrace, Spencer, MA 01562. A funeral service will follow at 10:30 a.m. She will be buried with her husband in Worcester County Memorial Park, 217 Richards Ave, Paxton, MA. It was her wish that memorial contributions may be made to the Joslin Diabetes Center, One Joslin Place, Boston, MA. 02215.