Barbara M. Sofield

Barbara M. Sofield, 99, of Metuchen, NJ, passed away peacefully on September 16, 2024. She was the youngest of five children born in Boston to Mary Lawrence Sullivan and James Patrick Kelleher on June 17, 1925. Her father always told her that the annual Bunker Hill Day celebration was in honor of her birthday.
At the age of eight, Barbara's family moved to Westbury, Long Island, NY, where she volunteered to exercise polo ponies and, in doing so, became a skilled rider. She loved tagging along with her twin brothers, Bill and James, always an inquisitive and spunky girl.
As a young woman, she and her girlfriends would peer through the fence at MacArthur Airfield to check out the soldiers.
Barbara joined the war effort by assembling airplanes. In 1945, she received a Certificate of Commendation from Grumman War Production Corps, Long Island, NY. Having a flair for fashion, Barbara encouraged her female co-workers to trade their drab coveralls for stylish dresses and wear flowers in their hair.
Barbara met her favorite soldier, Bill Sofield, and was immediately captivated by his beautiful blue eyes. They married in 1945, a love story that lasted 69 years until his passing in 2014.
They raised three children – Deborah, Barbara and William - in their home in Metuchen. Family was the center of her life. By example, she showed her children how to be curious, lifelong learners.
Barbara was an avid reader and knitter of mittens, hats, sweaters, and blankets for loved ones. Airshows and boating were also favorite pastimes. She loved chocolate! You always knew your gift to her would be a favorite if it contained chocolate.
Barbara loved entertaining her many nieces, nephews, godchildren, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and friends with her tremendous gift of storytelling. A skilled jokester, we would often say that our family's longevity was due to laughing - laughing to the point of crying. She also had the ability to turn the ordinary into the extraordinary, inventing games which everyone enjoyed at family gatherings.
Barbara enjoyed an occasional trip to Atlantic City where she delighted in playing the "birthday" machines and making new friends. People gravitated to her warmth and kindness.
She was infinitely proud of her daughters, Deborah Manis (William) of Rensselaer, IN, Barbara Inglis (Kenneth) of Zionsville, IN, and son, William Sofield (Dennis) of Bedford Hills, NY. She was also blessed with a niece, Veronica Mandella Read, whom she regarded as her little sister.
Barbara cherished her grandchildren, Michael Manis (Teresa), Jessica Boyd (Justin) and Kevin Inglis (Briana). She was predeceased by her beloved husband, Bill, her grandson, Billy Maniscalco, as well as siblings, Mary Mandella, Anne Rushing, James Kelleher and William Kelleher.
Barbara's heart was full and so was her glorious life.
Visitation will be Sunday, September 22 from 1-5 pm at Costello-Runyon Funeral Home, 568 Middlesex Avenue, Metuchen, NJ. Her funeral service will be held at St. Francis Cathedral, 32 Elm Avenue in Metuchen on Monday, September 23, 2024 at 10:30 am. A private burial in Southampton, NY will follow on Tuesday.
Those who cannot attend the funeral in person are welcome to join the service via live link on Monday on the St. Francis Cathedral website (https://www.stfranciscathedral.org).
Donations in Barbara's memory may be made to New York Stem Cell Foundation, attn: Macular Degeneration.