Clara L. Nurko

Clara L. Nurko, 79, formerly of Millstone, passed away on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, with her daughters by her side.

Born in Trenton, Clara spent her childhood on Emery's Blueberry Farm. In 1974 she moved to Millstone, where she raised her family and made her home for 46 years. A graduate of the Katharine Gibbs School, Clara worked as a retail manager at Off the Wall in the Allentown Old Mill. A woman of strong faith, she was a longtime member of Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Trenton.

Nicknamed "Flower," Clara had an incredible artistic eye and a gift for making things beautiful. Her creativity shone most in her gardens, where she grew the flowers and roses she loved to share with others. She delighted in the birds, butterflies, and wildlife wherever she went, and she loved searching for shells along the beach. She spent as much time as she could at her beach home on LBI, moving there full time in 2020, and spent her winters in Florida.

Clara cherished time with her friends, neighbors, and family, especially her daughters, and her greatest joy was her grandchildren.

Daughter of the late Raymond and Ida Emery, she was predeceased by her husband, William Nurko; her brother, David Emery; and her partner of recent years, James Dancer. Clara is survived by her daughters and sons-in-law, Christina and Richard Esandrio of Monroe, and Patricia and Kevin Hulick of North Hanover; her cherished grandchildren, Graciella and Kali Esandrio and Sean and Allison Hulick; as well as a large extended family.

A visitation will be held on Thursday, November 19, from 4 to 6 p.m., followed by a service at 6 p.m., at Peppler Funeral Home, 114 S. Main St., Allentown, NJ.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Clara's name to Susan G. Komen (www.komen.org) or to St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Long Beach Township, NJ. (www.stfrancisparishlbi.org)