A memorial service is to be held at St. Matthew Trinity Lutheran Church, 57 Eighth St., Hoboken, at 1 p.m. on March 21 for Clarence LaPorte. He passed away peacefully Feb. 28 at the Compassionate Care Hospice at the Atrium, Jersey City. Clarence was born and raised in Brooklyn and later resided briefly in the Bronx before moving to Hoboken in 1991. He worked ten years for Consolidated Edison in the maintenance department at the Waterside plant in Manhattan. Clarence was also well known along Washington Street as Santa Claus in the Gems Candy store window and was a Board of Elections worker for many years. Known to many in the Washington Estates apartments, Clarence was an avid collector of Christmas ornaments and decorations as well as coins, plates and other commemorative memorabilia. Clarence is survived by his sister Jeanne Kaspak and also many nieces and nephews. After cremation, he will be interred in a private ceremony at Saint John Cemetery in
Middle Village, NY.