Mary Catherine Boffa

A Fresh View of the Future

Mary Boffa's hobby was her sprawling, close-knit family. She had 3 sisters and nearly 30 first cousins. They provided plenty to do on weekends. When she was growing up on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, there was always a cousin to play with. Her father was a blue-collar worker at Western Electric and her mother was a school cafeteria worker. At age 45, Ms. Boffa was an associate vice president for Marsh & McLennan, the financial services conglomerate in 1 World Trade Center. She had recently separated from her husband and moved into a two-bedroom apartment on Staten Island. It had a view of the Verazzano-Narrows Bridge. She had new furniture. "She was very excited," said her nephew, Michael Trudeau. "It was renewal for her."

Profile published in THE NEW YORK TIMES on September 16, 2001.


BOFFA-Mary Catherine nee Murphy. Taken from her loving family at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. Loving daughter of the late Anne and John Murphy, dear sister of Margaret Trudeau, Elizabeth Murphy and Diane and Charles Brierley, devoted aunt of Maureen and Michael Trudeau and Kristen and Jennifer Brierley. Former wife of John Boffa. Memorial service at Thomas M. Quinn and Sons Inc, 35-20 Broadway, L.I.C., NY. Visiting hours Friday 6 to 9 PM. Memorial Mass will be celebrated at Most Precious Blood RC Church, Sat. 11:15 AM. In lieu of flowers donations to the Twin Towers Fund, GPO, POB 26999, NYC 10087-6999 or The American Red Cross.