Obituary of Althea C. Segura

Althea Carlotta Segura of Byram Township, NJ passed away Sunday, February 11, 2024 in Morris Plains, she was 57 years old.

Althea was born on June 14, 1966 in Georgetown, Guyana to the late Euton George and the late Claudette (Haynes) George and moved to Brooklyn, NY with her parents and her sister Waynette at the age of 4. When she was in her early twenties, she moved out of her home and lived her life dedicated to the Lord Jesus Christ.  Althea studied Nursing at City College in New York City and was elected President of the InterVaristy Christian Fellowship chapter there. While there, she worked as a candy-striper at Brookdale hospital.  She then served in the Children’s Ministry at Times Square Church, New York City from 1989 to 1993, under the direction of her mentor, the late Esther Dietrich, where she met her future husband, José Segura, whom she married in 1991.  Simultaneously, she taught 1^st grade at Evangel Christian School in Elizabeth, NJ. 

Althea loved children and had her first child, Naomi Rose, in 1993.  She gave birth to her second child, Johanna Ruth in 1996, and then to her son, Jordan Alexander, in 1997, 3 months after moving to Byram Township, NJ, but all at the hands of midwives without any medication.  She then launched a class at church, MomsPops&Tots, where she provided craft making activities that parents could enjoy with their toddlers, which also served to help such parents unwind.  Displeased with the clinical approach that seemed to overtake the birthing centers, when she was pregnant with her 4^th child, she joyously embraced having a homebirth and gave birth to Thea Marie at the hands of her husband in 2006.  She then joined the Single Mothers Ministry as an assistant.

For the first 18 years of marriage, Althea also delighted herself in self-employment, first as a craft maker and baker of her business, Althea’s Homemade Delights, and then as a caterer for her business, Althea’s Specialties, cooking or baking for groups from 10-1000 attendees, specializing in weddings from 200-300 guests.  Many will remember her for her delicious cooking and exquisite desserts.

Althea was dynamic, artistic, and the epitome of dedication in all that she put her mind and hands to do.  This wasn’t only evident in her culinary skills, but also as a gardener and homeschooler.  She eagerly tended her own garden which rivaled most gardens in Northern New Jersey for variety of flowering species, many of which she grew from seed.  When visiting any other garden in the State, she would point at every flowering plant less than 3 feet tall and state, “I have that in my garden.”  She homeschooled all 4 of her children, whom she deeply loved, from 2006 until 2017, researching and acquiring the very best books in every subject.  Althea aspired to help the ostracized and underprivileged of communities around her, including being active in anti-abortion rallies in NYC in 1988, Today’s Choice Women’s Center in Newton in 2012 and lending a helping hand to some refugees from Venezuela in 2022.  She also enjoyed knitting and craft making and hoped someday to have her own bakery and craft store.  Yet even though she was so intensely involved in all that she did, she always tended to the needs of her family, until mental illness set in around 2017 and physical decline overwhelmed her in her final months.

Althea is survived by her loving husband, José Segura; Children, Johanna Segura, Jordan Segura and Thea Segura; sister, Waynette (Dennis) Lamorell and half-sister, Nicola George, and cherished by extended family and friends.

She was predeceased by her daughter, Naomi Segura in 2018.

Althea’s Life Celebration will be held Saturday, February 24^th from 9-10:30 AM at Leber-Lakeside Funeral Home, 150 Landing Road, Landing, NJ.  A few testimonies and a short word will be offered at 10:30 AM at the funeral home. Althea will be laid to rest at the Cemetery of the First Presbyterian Church of Succasunna, 99 Main Street, Succasunna, NJ, followed by a repast from 1-3 PM at Times Square Church North Jersey Campus, 450 Howard Boulevard, Mt. Arlington.

 In lieu of flowers, please consider a one-time donation to ChildCry at: https://pushpay.com/g/tscmissions?f%5B0%5D=ChildCry

or your favorite charity.