Klara “Taja” Sieber

WINDHAM – Klara Sieber, known by everyone as Taja, passed away on Aug. 29, 2022 at the age of 98. She was born on the Friesian island of Fohr in Germany to parents Friedrich and Inna Arfsten. She was raised on the family farm with her three siblings.

Taja married Werner Sieber on Oct 15, 1948 and together they immigrated to America in 1951 to start a new life. They did not speak English and went to night school to learn the language. At first they lived in Queens, N.Y. and then in 1962, they moved to River Edge, N.J. At that time, many German immigrants who settled in the NYC area, were often employed in or owned a delicatessen. And that’s exactly what they did. Their first deli was in Cambria Heights, N.Y. and their second one was in Rochelle Park, N.J. Werner and Taja worked side by side in everything they did…whether it was at the deli or in the garden or on any project at the house. Taja had an incredible green thumb and loved both flower and vegetable gardening. Between the two of them, there was nothing that they couldn’t do. Both were self taught, incredibly hard workers.

Werner passed away suddenly in 1997 but Taja continued to live in River Edge for 52 years. They had two children Irene and Eric and both grew up in River Edge and graduated from River Dell High School.

In her older years, Taja was cared for by her children. When she turned 90 in 2014, she moved to Windham to live with her daughter, Irene and her husband, Frank. And then in 2017, she moved to Shelburne, Vt. to live with her son, Eric and his partner, Robin Jeffers.

Taja was predeceased by her husband, Werner; her brother, Jobe and his wife Keike, her sister, Friede and her husband Johann, all of Germany. She was also predeceased by her sister, Jenny and her husband, John of Jersey City, N.J. Taja was the oldest and the last surviving sibling. She was also predeceased by her many friends.

Taja is survived by her daughter, Irene and her husband, Frank of Windham, her son, Eric and his partner, Robin of Shelburne, Vt.; and many nieces and nephews.

Visiting hours will be at Boulevard Funeral Home, 1151 River Rd., New Milford, N.J. on Monday Sept. 19 at 11 a.m., followed by a memorial service. Taja will be laid to rest at George Washington Memorial Park in Paramus, N.J.