Obituary of Maria Boufarah

Maria Boufarah, 87, of Howell passed away on Sunday, December 17, 2023 at CentraState Medical Center, Freehold Township.  Maria was born in Havana, Cuba and immigrated to the United States as a young woman in 1957.  She originally moved to Neptune, NJ and worked as a retail store clerk in Asbury Park where she met and worked alongside her true love and future husband.  She then went on to work as an office assistant at Publisher McGraw Hill, where she was later “discovered” and hired as a clothing model in NYC.  

After getting married in 1963, Maria settled in the Ardmore section of Howell where she raised her family and remained until her passing.  She operated her own business out of Englishtown Auction throughout the 1980s and 1990s.  While she enjoyed the independence of working on her own, to help support herself and her children, Maria also worked in retail, as well as getting licensed and working at different times over the years as a realtor, a phlebotomist and an EKG technician.  Maria was athletic and enjoyed playing in adult softball, tennis and volleyball leagues, and also volunteered as a girls’ softball coach.

Maria was predeceased by her husband, Albert in 1970; and her brother, Jacinto Pedraza.  She is survived by her two loving sons, who she lovingly raised alone after her husband’s passing, Albert Boufarah of Toms River and Brian Boufarah and his wife, Diane of Westfield; five grandchildren, Isabel, Jonathan, Justin, Alexis and AJ (Albert Joseph); and her brother, Pedro Pedraza of Virginia.

Visitation will be held at the Clayton & McGirr Funeral Home, 100 Elton-Adelphia Road (Route 524), Freehold Township on Thursday, December 21, 2023 from 4:30 to 7:00 PM with a brief funeral service for her to follow at 7:00 PM.  Interment will be private.  In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association, Park 80 West, Plaza 2, 250 Pehle Avenue, Suite 202, Saddle Brook, NJ 07663 or HERE.  For information, directions or to leave condolence messages for the family, visit www.claytonfuneralhome.com