WILMNINGTON — Clement “Clem” Christopher Surak, born in Essex Co, NJ, on October 18, 1936, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on August 23, 2025, in Wilmington, NC, after a short battle with cancer.
He was the oldest child of Clement and Helen Surak and brother to Eileen. A graduate of Seton Hall Preparatory High School and Newark College of Engineering (now NJIT), he began his career as a Civil Engineer in 1958 and married his high school sweetheart, Joan Prince, that same year, marking the beginning of a lifetime of love and dedication.
Clem dedicated his career to serving his country as a General Engineer for the US Army Electronics Command and later the US Army Satellite Communications Agency (SATCOM), both at Fort Monmouth, NJ, spanning a 30-year federal service career that took him to all points of the globe. He continued his passion for engineering through work with Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC), Telos Corporation, and TAMSCO on related projects, finally retiring in 2001.
He will be lovingly remembered by his wife, Joan, of Wilmington, NC; his children, Denise (Robert) McCormack of Leland, NC, Patricia (David) Ramsden of Southport, NC, Clement (Audrey) Surak of Wilmington, NC, and Christopher (Carli) Surak of Downingtown, PA. His grandchildren include Ryan, Robert, Jessica, David, Kelsey, Matthew, Reed, and Riley, with great-grandchildren Warren, Lily, and Parker. Clem also leaves behind his sister, Eileen (Robert) Monetti of Cherry Hill, NJ.
A proud former Chief and life-time member of the Freewood Acres Volunteer Fire Company in Howell, NJ, Clem was known for his generosity and unwavering dedication to others, including the Catholic communities in the towns they settled in, Howell, NJ, Manahawkin, NJ and Wilmington, NC.
In his youth, he was active in archery and a member of the Blessed Sacrament Junior and later Senior Drum Corps, as well as learning resiliency by rooting for the Brooklyn Dodgers and later the NY Mets and Giants. Later in life, he enjoyed classic cars and building radio-controlled boats through his retirement. He and Joan were active and cherished members of the Perry’s Lake retirement community in Manahawkin, NJ, before moving to Wilmington.
Clem’s friends and family remember him for his selflessness, intelligence, patience, loyalty, humor, and his signature phrase, “No Sweat!”
He will be deeply missed but forever remembered for his kindness, selfless spirit, and love of family. A celebration of his life will be held at a later date.
