Claire Z. Cavoto

Claire Zamorski Cavoto, 73, of Norristown, entered into eternity on September 1, 2022. Born March 29, 1949 in the Roxborough section of Phila., PA she was the daughter of the late Joseph and Dorothy (Pomianek) Zamorski.

Claire grew up in the Port Richmond section of Philadelphia where she attended St. Adalbert’s Grade School. She graduated from John W. Hallahan Catholic Girl’s High School in 1967. Afterwards she attended Temple University, where she received a degree in Music History, and Hahnemann University where she received a master’s degree in Creative Arts Therapy with a focus on Music Therapy, a relatively new field at the time. In 1976 she married her husband, Michael Cavoto, who grew up only two blocks away but “on the other side of the tracks” so they didn’t meet until their mid-twenties. Together they had two children and eight grandchildren. They celebrated their 46th wedding anniversary in May.

Being a mother was one of her greatest joys. She poured her heart into her children’s upbringing, passing on the traditional Catholic Faith as well as her love of music and playing the piano. She modeled and encouraged a life-long love of learning. She described herself as a “homeschool junkie” and enthusiastically supported her son and daughter in the homeschool education of their own children, after having homeschooled her son for one year of high school and her daughter for eight years. Every Friday she hosted several of her grandchildren whom she did school work with, taught piano, and passed on a whole other host of valuable skills like sewing and knitting. Several grandchildren were blessed with handmade costumes and dresses. She was known for being a “goodie shopper” and always had a bag full of toys the grandkids could choose from, as well as a candy jar full of treats and favorite snacks like cheese puffs and pretzels. Holidays were especially fun at her house, with carefully selected gifts for each child and contests to “find the pickle” in the tree at Christmas to egg hunts with “bunny money” for gifts that didn’t fit inside eggs at Easter. Known to her grandchildren as “Nonna,” she left them with a legacy of love and wonderful memories that will not be forgotten.

Claire enjoyed an active life and always seemed to find a way to get involved in different activities. At church, over the years she helped run the sodality on Saturdays, played the piano for the St. Rita Novena every Tuesday, sang in the choir, and attended daily Mass and perpetual adoration for many years. Musically, she sang in choirs, served on committees for Taubman Institute seminars, the Octave Club of Norristown and the Musical Coterie of Wayne, taught piano lessons both in person and online, as well as had music therapy clients, many of whom she worked with for many years. Sharing music brought her great joy.

Traveling was a highlight of her life. She enjoyed trips throughout the United States to New York City, the Jersey Shore, Williamsburg, VA, New Orleans, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and San Francisco, CA, Yellowstone National Park, the Grand Canyon, New Mexico, Florida, Utah, and Alaska. She accompanied her daughter on a hand bell choir trip to Scotland and a choral trip to Italy. Internationally, she traveled to Bermuda, the Bahamas, Jamaica, London, Rome, Barcelona, St. Petersburg, Norway, Nova Scotia, the Panama Canal, as well as many islands in the Caribbean and Mediterranean. She and her husband especially loved going on cruises, several of which they went on with Claire’s first cousin Frank Marczak and his wife BethAnn. No trip was complete without gifts for grandchildren, of course. From nesting dolls from Russia to Flamenco dresses from Spain, this was just another way she brought culture to their lives.

Claire’s death comes during the closing chapter of over five years of silently fighting breast cancer. Despite a stage 4 diagnosis five years ago, she lived a very full and healthy life with the help of an integrative approach, including her “secret weapon” of IV vitamin C infusions, which she received weekly. To all the nurses, doctors, and fellow cancer fighters who were part of this journey, her family is so thankful. While the news of her passing brings her family intense sorrow, they are grateful for the time God mercifully granted Claire to travel, teach piano, and spend time with family, especially her grandchildren.

Claire is survived by her husband, Michael Cavoto, her son Matthew Cavoto, his wife Mary (Ferris) of Allentown, PA and their five children: Michael, Max, Marita, Mario and Mercedes; her daughter Carina DeBakey, her husband Michael, of Lancaster, PA and their daughters Madeline, Genevieve and Charlotte. She is also survived by her brother, Thomas Zamorski, husband of Zosia, of Philadelphia, PA; sister, Martha O’Neill, wife of Joseph, of Philadelphia, PA; brother Stephen Zamorski, husband of Stephanie, of Berlin, NJ; three nieces Basia Zamorski Masusock, Ania Zamorski Carr, and Teresa Zamorski Healey; and goddaughter Lisa Ellis Rommel.

The Cavoto family would like to invite family and friends to take this opportunity to remember that each day is truly a gift from God. We all relished every last second we had with Claire and wished that time would never end. She stands as an inspiration to us all, representing faith, family, and unconditional love.

A Traditional Latin Requiem Mass will be celebrated at Holy Saviour Catholic Church, 407 E. Main St. Norristown, PA 19401 on Wednesday, September 7, 2022 at 10am. Relatives and friends are also invited to attend Claire’s viewings, Tuesday evening from 6:30-8 pm at Szpindor-Meyers Funeral Home 101 N. Park Ave. Trooper, PA 19403 and Wednesday morning before Mass from 9-9:45am at church. Interment will be at Calvary Cemetery in Conshohocken, PA. In lieu of flowers, please have Traditional Latin Masses said for the repose of her soul. Services entrusted to Szpindor-Meyers Funeral Home, Trooper, PA.