Claire H. Knowles, 92, of Whiting, NJ, passed away Thursday, November 10, 2022, shortly before her 93rd birthday. She lived in Crosswicks, NJ for almost 60 years before moving to Whiting, NJ in late 2014. Born in Philadelphia, PA, her family moved to Moorestown, NJ where they operated a dairy. The family eventually settled in Princeton, where Claire graduated from Princeton High School. She earned her undergraduate degree from The College of New Jersey in Science and Math, and later learned to program through the International Correspondence School. She eventually earned her Master of Business Administration from Rider University. After teaching for a few years, Claire worked as an engineering technician at DeLaval, where she met the love of her life, Mal, before retiring from the State of New Jersey's Office of Information Technology in 1991.

Claire loved to read, travel, do crosswords, was an active volunteer with Catholic Charities for many years, and after her "retirement" worked for 22 years at the Crosswicks Library. While at the library she assisted with the Crosswicks Village Festivals and helped many young people with their summer reading and school papers. Claire loved her life in Crosswicks, and often said how lucky she and Malcom were to have had each other. After her move to Whiting, she stayed active in her new retirement community, even taking over management of the facility's library and their Ocean County Library Outreach program.

Daughter of the late Paul and Sara Hofmann, Claire was predeceased by her husband of 54 years, C. Malcolm Knowles. She is survived by her granddaughter, Elisa Binette of Portland, OR and her sister, Shirley Hofmann of Lawrenceville.

Services are private. Memorial contributions may be made in Claire's name to Catholic Charities at www.catholiccharitiestrenton.org or to the Chesterfield Township Historical Society P.O. Box 86, Crosswicks, NJ 08515.