Obituary of Carol Finch Speiser

Carol Finch Speiser, long time resident of Upper Montclair, passed away on December 26th, at the age of 103. A funeral service will be held at St. James Episcopal Church, 581 Valley Road Upper Montclair on December 30^th at 11am.

Mrs. Speiser was born in Rutherford, NJ, on May 22nd, 1919. She attended schools there and graduated from Passaic Collegiate School before attending Barnard College, and graduating from the Julliard School of Music in New York City. Carol was a piano teacher in Rutherford, and gave numerous concerts and broadcasts in the Eastern US. She lived in Rutherford until her marriage in 1949 to Col. Robin Speiser, then of Mesa AZ. Thereafter they lived at various Army postings in the US and Japan.

She was a long time member of the St. James alter guild, past president of the Montclair Music Club, and member of the Montclair Woman’s Club. Carol was pre-deceased by her husband Robin, and their daughter, Suzanne Wood.

She is survived by a son, Robin Jr. of Colorado Springs, son John of West Caldwell, and daughter Jane Sisbarro of Woodland Park; eight granddaughters (Dr. Susan Sisbarro, Dr. Erin Speiser-Gasak, Kristin Speiser, Ms. Robin Speiser, Jennifer Persson, Karen Binder, Elizabeth Evans and Kate Davis) three grandsons (Richard, Peter and Tom) as well as numerous great grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, donations would be welcome at St. James Church or the Montclair Volunteer Ambulance Unit.