Marie B. Rufo

Marie B. Rufo (nee Sabbak) passed away peacefully in her sleep on New Year’s Eve, 2022 in Toms River, NJ. She just celebrated her 89th birthday. She was born in Phillipsburg and was raised by her Aunt Jennie and Uncle Naim Sabbak in Totowa and Paterson, NJ with her three brothers, Basil and Joey who predeceased her and John Sabbak. Her longest memory is working in her Uncle’s grocery store throughout her school years. She married Nicholas Rufo (predeceased) and moved to Wayne, NJ where she raised four children, Rosemarie (Brian Armstrong), Anthony (Kathryn Smith), Linda (Thomas Crowe) and Thomas (Karen Serle-Rufo, deceased). She was blessed with six grandchildren (Christopher & Jessica Crowe, Courtney & Billy Leader, Karla & Nick Soto, Kimberly Armstrong, Vanessa & Buddy Finn and Anthony & Jennifer Serle), and seven great grandchildren (Mason, Isabella, Marlee, James, Hannah, Evin and Anthony). Marie also has many nieces, nephews and grandnieces/nephews on the Sabbak side.

Marie worked as an executive secretary for various companies (Ricoh, Toshiba), but her passion was to plan family events and socialize with clubs like UNICO where she was a Vice President and handled fundraising events that were hugely successful. She was known for her “coffee clutches” in her Wayne home where the neighborhood wives and cousins convened regularly. She was constantly cooking Syrian and Italian food and her cheesecakes were given out to friends, family and restaurant owners on a regular basis. In the early 90’s she moved to her retirement community in Toms River and socialized with new friends, attended bingo, and cruised and traveled with Nick until his passing. A highlight in travel was visiting family in Italy with her two daughters.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend her visitation with her family on Friday, January 6th from 9:30 – 11:30 at the Quinn Hopping Funeral Home, 26 Mule Road, Toms River. A Mass will follow at noon at St. Maximilian Kolbe Church, 130 St. Maximilian Lane, Toms River. Entombment will be at 1:15 at St. Joseph’s Cemetery, 62 Cedar Grove Road. In lieu of flowers a memorial contribution can be made to Samaritan’s Purse Ministry at https://www.samaritanspurse.org/memorial-page/marie-b-rufo-toms-river-nj/.