Doris E. Palumbo

Doris Elizabeth Palumbo passed away of heart failure on October 5, 2022 at the age of 83.  She was born March 26, 1939 in Roxborough, PA. She was the daughter of Charles Austin Clauser Jr. (4/26/1911 - 7/24/1977) and Elvira Elizabeth (DiCerbo) Clauser (3/6/1908 - 2/18/1959).  Sister of John Anthony Clauser (2/28/1938 - 6/3/2002), Mary Joyce Clauser (2/7/1942 - 3/29/2006), Charles Austin Clauser III, and Elizabeth Anne (Clauser/Mullholand) Kiester(6/21/1947 - 10/6/2017). Beloved mother of Neil F. Palumbo of Woodbine, MD and Deborah A. Palumbo-Arslan of Layfette Hill, PA, and mother-in-law to Victoria Palumbo and Pete Arslan.

A proud graduate of J.W. Hallahan Catholic Girls High School in Philadelphia, PA, class of 1956, Doris was a gifted and prolific painter and poet.  Her many beautifully impressionistic oil and watercolor paintings are proudly and lovingly displayed in her children’s homes as well as in her loving companion Louis Kling’s apartment.  Her whimsical, deeply insightful and often spiritual poems spoke of her love of God and her awe and the mystery of His creations, the meaning of our special place in God’s universe, and her love of nature and animals.  Her clever rhymes often had a delightfully playful cadence that would bring a sense of hope, happiness and wonder to the reader, particularly to her loving son, Neil, and daughter, Deborah.  

In addition to her love of painting and poetry, Doris loved wine, her morning coffee (strong, please!), eating at the local diners, classical music, listening to and identifying bird songs, taking long drives, and nature documentaries.  For several years, she immersed herself in family ancestry research, and she expertly developed her family tree stretching back nearly to the revolutionary war.  Cape May, NJ was her favorite get-away and, later in life, she especially enjoyed taking trips there with her close companion Louis King.  Doris and Louis were early childhood friends who only recently (2017) had reconnected and were inseparable from that point on.

Doris will be desperately missed by all those that she has left behind. Our hearts are so broken by this loss. She was truly one of a kind and to have known her and to be loved by her was to be truly blessed.

Ode on Myself

I'm just a little replica

Of something I shall be -

A shadow in the morning sun

Before you fully see;

Aware, but not yet wise enogh -

Awake, but yet unborn,

Sensing all there is to sense

Before the future morn;

Seeing what the trouble is

And how it all began -

Conversing with the demons

And the angels of this land;

Learning how to handle both

And love them just the same,

That I may walk some future day

Out of their senseless game.

Doris - Early 1980's

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What is a mom? Well, for me her name is Doris Clauser-Palumbo, precious mother, best friend, providing a lifetime of cherished memories of all we’ve done together; artist, poet, mother of two, Neil and Debbie, grandmother of Niazi, great grandmother of Gianna Lynn, UFO enthusiast, lover of animals, fascinated with the stars and the world God created, an amateur astronomist, and not without a charming quirkiness which endeared her to us and made us laugh and treasure her all the more.

Mom, you go deep into my soul, into my bones. I can speak for Neil and myself, we will miss you every moment of every day until we meet again. We will forever see your smile, hear your laugh, and wish you were with us. There is an unfillable void, but a myriad of memories will have to serve us until we meet again in the heavenly place with Jesus and all our loved ones!

It’s never goodbye, mom. It’s “see you soon.”

Love you eternally, Debbie and Neil

Doris was a childhood friend. We were only 2 (Doris) and 3 years old when we met. We grew up in the same neighborhood. We lived on the same block. Our Moms were friends. We went to the same school. We were in the same classes at Most Precious Blood Parish school in Philadelphia, but her family moved away after third grade. She was the smartest girl in allour classes. We saw each other once again as 7th graders at a library near where she lived. She was helping me for a school project. (Maybe I just wanted to see her again in my subconscious because I didn’t start thinking about girls until the 8th grade). 67 years later, we connected on Facebook. We were overwhelmed; just to be talking to each other after all those years. We finally met face to face a few weeks later. We were little kids again. It was just like we picked up where we left off. We started seeing each other and a year later, an apartment opened in her building and that became my new residence. We loved being with each other. We loved reminiscing. We came together at a good time in both of our lives. She became my older “Fox.” She would laugh when I’d tell her that. She became my Joy in Life.

Rest In Peace, Sweetheart. Thank Jesus for sending you back into my life. I Love You. ❤

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