Obituary of Claire Rafael

Claire (Fotini) Rafael, 74, of Greenhurst, passed away Friday January 19, 2018, in UPMC Hamot, Erie, PA. A native of Staten Island, NY, she was born October 26, 1943, a daughter of the late Rocco and Clara Trifoglio Mastropasqua. She was the widow of Rev. Nicholas Rafael, Sr. She was a member of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church where she was a long time member of its Erene Society. Surviving are three children Rev. Nicholas (wife Olga) Rafael II of Vineland, NJ, Christina Brown of Greenhurst and Dr. Timothy (wife Chryssanthe) Rafael of Long Island; ten grandchildren who called her Yia Yia include Jordan Davis, Kyra Lakhany, Cassandra Davis, Gabrielle Rapposelli, Andrew Rafael, Nicholas Brown, Hannah Brown, Benjamin Brown, Alexander Rafael and Grace Rafael; a great granddaughter Aaliah Lakhany and three siblings Vito Mastropasqua, Marie McLaughlin and Debbie Morale. Besides her husband who died November 14, 2005, she was preceded in death by a daughter Ritamarie Davis in 2010. The funeral will be held at 1 p.m. Monday in St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church. Rev. Jarrod Russell and Rev. Nicholas Rafael II will co-celebrate. Burial will be in Lake View Cemetery. Friends will be received from 6-9 p.m. today in the Lind Funeral Home, where a Trisagion Prayer Service will be led at 8 p.m. Memorials may be made to St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, Mt. Vernon Place, Jamestown, NY 14701 or or St. Susan Center, PO Box 1276, Jamestown, NY 14702-1276.