Claudette Laura (née Norris) Morrissey, 83, died overnight Sunday, August 21, 2022, at home in Manchester, NJ. She resided with her family in Eltingville, Staten Island from 1976 to 2009. She had suffered for years with COPD and heart disease. Claudette was born in Tabor City, NC, but was raised happily in Bellrose Queens, NY. Days after graduating from Bellevue School of Nursing in June 1959, she married Lt. John Joseph Morrissey, U.S. Army. (“Jack”) Soon, they were stationed in Mainz, Germany. Claudette worked as a school nurse. Their first two children, Cheryl and John, were born there. After Claudette was diagnosed with TB in 1962, she was medically evacuated back New York and put into a long isolation. Claudette and Jack stayed in New York after her recovery and their sons, Glenn and Thomas, were then born in Queens. In 1965, the family was sent to Okinawa, Japan, but when Claudette arrived with the 4 small children, her husband, an Airborne Ranger, had been surprisingly deployed to Vietnam already. Always the flexible Army wife, Claudette hunkered down with the children in a small house on the edge of a Japanese sugar cane field and stream! That time is remembered by her children as one of fun and enchantment because their mother made it so. The Army eventually relocated the family to Claremont, California to await Jack’s return from Vietnam. When Jack was ordered to a second tour in Vietnam a few years later, Claudette and the children stayed in Claremont. During their years in California, Claudette worked as a staff nurse in local hospitals and was active in the children’s school and in their parish. Upon Jack’s safe return, the family was sent to Heidelberg, Germany. Claudette took a job at the military hospital and balanced it with her roles at home. She was very active in the schools, scouts, rec sports and church again—leading, organizing, teaching, driving, fundraising! She also had a full social life as a busy member of the Officers’ Wives Club, where she got to do a lot of entertaining—something she loved and did very well. The family traveled throughout Europe. The Morrissey's were stationed at Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn as of late 1974 and Claudette began working at the Veterans’ Hospital there. When Jack retired in 1977, they bought their house in Eltingville. Claudette’s career with the Department of Veterans’ Affairs lasted 35 years. She started at the Brooklyn VA as a SICU staff nurse and ended up retiring as the WHEN/Evening Nursing Supervisor in 2009. She received many awards and accolades during her long service, including an Unsung Heroes of Nightingale Prize. She also earned praise for her dedication to NOVA (Nursing Organization of Veterans Affairs). She served this organization of 35,000 VA nurses as a Director then National President from 1983 to 1990. During that period, she testified before the US Senate and House 21 times. The military life imbued Claudette with wanderlust! In retirement, she and her husband continued traveling around the world. Claudette bowled in leagues for years and was also an avid mystery reader (she left behind a loaded Kindle). She was well-known for her holiday (EVERY holiday!) decorating and for buying anything with a dachshund on it! Claudette was predeceased by her husband John Joseph Morrissey in 2014 & son Glenn Damien Morrissey in 2012. Surviving are her children Cheryl Anne Morrissey, John Joseph Morrissey III, Thomas Harold Morrissey; her sister Irene Haberstick; sister-in-law Mary Lou Ries and brother-in-law Al Ries; brother Dick Nicholson; and 6 grandchildren: Michael, Brian & Christina Morrissey and Michaela, Ian & Andrew Morrissey Heinz, plus many nieces, nephews, godchildren and friends. Funeral Liturgy is Friday 10 AM at St John’s Church, Lakehurst with interment to follow at Brigadier Gen Wm C Doyle NJ Veterans Cemetery, Arneytown. In lieu of flowers please make donations to World Central Kitchen Attn: Donor Services, 200 Mass Ave NW, 7th Floor, Washington, DC 20001, Donate to World Central Kitchen (wck.org).