Celia Knoblauch, 86, of Keyport died at Bayshore Community Hospital on Saturday  November 27th. She was born on November 16th, 1935 in New York City. She was the  beloved only child of Anna and Benjamin Rayved and grew up in Long Branch.

Celia met her husband, Edward Knoblauch, at Monmouth University and they raised  their three children in Brick, before settling in Keyport, New Jersey.  Celia graduated Monmouth College with a BA in Education and she received her  Masters Degree in Guidance Counseling from Seton Hall University. Celia taught Early Childhood Development for many years in New Jersey and New York. She started her  career teaching in Matawan New Jersey. Later in her career she found her specialty,  teaching children born to mothers with substance abuse problems. She became the  Director of Education at La Casita, a drug rehabilitation facility in the Bronx. She  continued her career by teaching at the United Bronx Parents School, where she was  employed until her passing.

Celia’s favorite part of her job was creating short plays with her very young students.  She also enjoyed creating home made cards, with her students photos, for their  mothers.

Celia was a classical pianist and fan of WQXR classical radio.

She loved the New York Times, especially the crossword puzzle and the book review.  She was an avid reader and enjoyed writing poetry. She loved visiting Art Museums in  New York City.

Most of all she loved her family, co-workers, friends, students, and their mothers It gave her great pleasure to give gifts, cards, food, crossword puzzles, books, and  newspaper articles to her friends, family and store clerks. She especially loved hosting  the holidays with her family in which she would often decorate with home made items. Celia loved to talk to people everywhere she went, especially on her daily commute to  the Bronx, and in the shops she frequented in her town.

Celia was pre-deceased by her husband, Edward J. Knoblauch in 1995. She is survived by her three children, Joseph, Sylvie, Alan, his wife Maureen, and her  three grandsons Kyle 16, Dylan 14 and Tristan 13.

Family and friends will gather on Thursday from 10 until the funeral service at 11am, at  the Woolley-Boglioli Funeral Home, 10 Morrell Street, Long Branch. Interment will follow at Beth Miriam Memorial Park, Neptune. To share a favorite memory or send a message of condolences to her family, please visit Celia’s page of tributes at www.woolleyboglioli.com.