Clara Duran

Clara Durán joined The Lord on May 7th 2023, peacefully at home surrounded by her loving family.

Mamita, as we lovingly call mom, had a long and faithful life.

Born in Colombia, the great niece of a renowned Colombian poet and the daughter of a physician father and a radio personality mother. One of nine children, her childhood passed taking care of her younger siblings and enjoying her family life when not in school.

Life alternated between boarding school(did not like it) away from her beloved mother and siblings; and summer vacation in the countryside. Clara married young, and  had three children: Victor, Carlos and Ivonne. Mom loved her husband, but life was financially very difficult and eventually decided to follow her husband Florentino and  emigrate to the United States.  Life was a struggle: finding a job, a place to live and learning a new language while living with her husband and daughter and with her boys remaining in Colombia. After many years and multiple jobs, life stabilized and mom brought all her children home to her roost.

She worked at Chase  Manhattan Bank as an executive administrative assistant for many years, a wonderful job where she mothered all the young MBA Vice Presidents.  She even typed their dissertations.

After retirement, Clara moved to Wilmington  where she worked at Saint Francis Hospital as a social worker and interpreter serving the community. She just couldn’t remain retired. Her coworkers remember her running around the hospital taking care of families, and carrying clothing and supplies that she collected to support many poor families and young pregnant women. Clara finally retired to work at home surrounded by her cats and  dog, flowers, dedicated to writing her beautiful autobiography and enjoying her life with her children and four grandchildren: Austin, Christien, Luke and Olivia. Mom was a member of the Columbiettes and loved to volunteer for perpetual adoration at her nearby church, St Ann’s. Mom also loved volunteering with the Poor Clare’s sisters at their monastery. Mom loved her home, the outdoors and cooking for her family. More than anything, she loved to serve anyone and everyone.

Now she has gone to be with the Lord, And we celebrate her  life and her passing.

Rosary and visitation for family and friends will be held from 10-11 AM followed by mass of Christian Burial  from 11-12 AM on Thursday May 18th at the  St. Veronica Giuliani Monastery, 816 N Jefferson St. Wilmington, DE 19801

Internment will follow at All Saints Cemetery

In lieu of flowers please send donations to the St Veronica Giuliani Monastery

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Clara Duran, please visit our floral store.