Camille Balaban, age 77 years, of Clinton Township, NJ, died on Tuesday, May 24, 2016 at Morristown Medical Center, Morristown, NJ.

Born on September 3, 1938 in Brooklyn, NY, daughter of the late Vincent and Amelia Giordano, she had resided in Clinton Township for over forty years, having formerly lived in Bergenfield, NJ and Westchester, NY.

Camille began a spiritual journey that led her to live and be educated in a convent, the Sister’s of St. Joseph in Brentwood, NY. This spiritual education also allowed her to grow as a person in every aspect of her life. She left the convent and then graduated from Fordham University in New York with a MA in English Literature. She went on to teach and lead the English Department at Chappaqua High School, Chappaqua, NY.

Eventually, she married and found her way to New Jersey where she taught writing and English classes at Raritan Valley Community College. She then became a teacher at Voorhees High School in Lebanon Township, NJ. At Voorhees, she taught many advance placement and high level English courses for nearly twenty years, being awarded the prestigious honor of, “Teacher of the Year.”

To Camille, education represented all things good in life. Her ability to shape and influence others as an educator, and learn just as much in return, was profound and lead to lifelong relationships with many of her students. She was dedicated to education and her passion and zealousness in ensuring and fighting for what was right in the educational system led her to serve on the Clinton Township Board of Education for many years, serving as President for five years. Her impact on programming and projects that further serve to have a positive effect on the youth of the area are still being felt to this day.

Camille was also a published poet, an avid reader, a painter and a phenomenal chef. These activities all gave her enjoyment, but her number one priority was her family. She epitomized the word matriarch and her genuine love for her family is the foundation of her legacy. Her husband and her two boys were everything to her and that was only magnified as each of her son’s found their match and she became the proudest “Nana” that anyone ever met.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a sister-in-law, Sandra Breyer in 2015.

Surviving are her husband of forty-one years, Alvin Balaban, with whom she joined hands in marriage on June 30, 1974; two sons and daughters-in-law, David Balaban, Esq. and his wife, Rebecca of Port Deposit, MD and Mark Balaban, Ph.D. and his wife, Rachel of Hurley, NY; four grandchildren, Dustin, Neve, Andrew and Atlee Balaban; a sister, Patricia Baldoni of El Cajon, CA; a brother and sister-in-law, Vincent and Joyce Giordano of River Ridge, LA; a sister-in-law, Laurie Tillman of Coral Springs, FL; her dear lifelong friends, one whom she considered as another sister, Dawn Cardi and Tony Donatelli, whom she considered as her third son; several nieces, nephews and extended family; many friends; and her numerous students that she felt so honored to be a part of their lives throughout the generations.

A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, May 28, 2016 at 1:30 p.m. in Wright & Ford Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 38 State Highway 31, Flemington, NJ. This will be preceded by a memorial gathering from Noon-1:30 p.m. at the funeral home.

Following the services, the family will host a gathering at the Balaban home to continue the celebration of Camille’s life.

Everyone is invited to visit Camille’s permanent memorial site at www.wrightfamily.com to send a public or private message of condolence and to share stories and photographs of her life.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested contributions to the Hunterdon County Library, North Branch, 65 Halstead Street, Clinton, NJ 08809 to honor Camille’s love of reading and education.