Clara A. Christiaens, née Bonami, (90) of Downers Grove, IL, passed away at home peacefully on Sunday, January 15, 2023. She was born on February 9, 1932, in Bruges, Belgium, to Henri Bonami and Marguerite Baert. On August 4, 1956, she married the love of her life, the late Jacques “Jack” Christiaens and they remained together for 65 years before he passed.

In 1957, Jacques and Clara emigrated to Chicago, Illinois, from Belgium, settling in the southside neighborhood of Roseland. In her early years, Clara provided a loving home for their three daughters. Much of her life at that point revolved around volunteering at St. Willibrord Catholic Church. When the daughters were school age, Clara started her 27-year career with J.C. Penney. In 1997, Jack and Clara relocated to Downers Grove to be closer to their daughters.

Clara’s passion lay in crafting, especially knitting and crocheting. Once she retired, she sold her handiwork, especially her famous crochet kitchen towels at craft shows. As a 25+ year member of the Auxiliary of Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital she volunteered those skills, by knitting and crocheting baby blankets, hats, sweaters, booties which could be found at the hospital’s Daisy Basket Gift Shop. In addition, she made little hats for the hospital’s newborns with the hospital’s ARK group.

Clara could frequently be found volunteering at St. Mary of Gostyn Catholic Church, helping with the Golden Agers, the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry, and Medical Missions. For her work as a member of the Catholic Council of Woman’s (CCW), she was honored as the CCW Woman of the Year.

Nothing was more important to Clara than her family. She adored her grandchildren and great grandchildren and followed all their activities. Going back to Belgium to be with her brothers and sisters and attend the large family reunions were the highlights of her later years.

Clara was the loving mother of Carine (Marty) Acks, Marlene (Phil) Herbert, and Diane (Tim) Dorr; dear grandmother of Brian (Kate) Acks, Kelsey (Alex) Kotsakis, Chris Herbert, Jonathan Herbert, and Justin (fiancée, Amanda) Dorr; great-grandmother of Duncan and Maeve; and cherished oldest sister to Denise (the late Louis) Rutjens, Joseph (the late Nicole) Bonami, Francine (the late Dirk) Vandenbosch, Lucienne Bonami, Marie-Louise (Norbert) Lagaese. She was preceded in death by her brothers and sister, Willy Bonami, Francois Bonami, Roger (Monique) Bonami, and Claudine (Rudy) Bonami.

Visitation Saturday, January 21st, 9:30 a.m. until time of Prayers, 10:30 a.m. at Adams-Winterfield & Sullivan Funeral Home, 4343 Main St. (1 Blk. So. of Ogden Ave.), Downers Grove to St. Mary of Gostyn Church. Funeral Mass 11:00 a.m. Funeral Mass will be live-streamed (HERE).  Private Family Interment Holy Family Cemetery, Downers Grove. In lieu of flowers, memorials to the Alzheimer’s Association, P.O. Box 96011, Washington, DC 20090 or www.alz.org/donate, appreciated. Information: 630-968-1000 or www.adamswinterfieldsullivan.com.