Remembering: Mary Catherine (Murphy) Boffa

2,996 Project 

I respectfully honor ...

photo by Michael Trudeau, nephew - posted on the online guestbook tribute at Legacy.com

Mary Catherine Murphy Boffa, 45, of Staten Island, New York

March 29, 1956 - September 11, 2001

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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.

"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."

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I had a bit of a hard time finding out much personal information about Mary Catherine.  I did many searches but couldn't come up with anything about her final days or hours.  I do know that many people who worked with her at Marsh & McLennan did not make it out of their offices on the morning of 9/11.  The list is heartbreakingly long. 

I found an official document written by the Committe of Parks and Recreation of New York, regarding thouroughfares and public places; stating that 52 streets, corners and intersections in several different NY bouroughs were re-named in honor of 9/11 victims.  Mary Catherine's name was in Section 28 of this document, dated September 25, 2003, which states the following:

Background:   On September 11, 2001 at 8:45 A.M.  American Airlines Flight 11, a jet carrying 92 passengers that was hijacked on a flight from Boston, Massachusetts, crashed into the north tower of the World Trade Center.  The impact of the jet tore a huge hole in the building and set it afire, trapping hundreds of people on the upper floors.  At 9:03 A.M.  a second hijacked jet airliner, United Airlines Flight 175, with 65 passengers also out of Boston, crashed into the south tower of the World Trade Center.  The plane exploded causing a fire that trapped everyone in the building who was above the point of impact.  Within the next ninety minutes both towers collapsed.

Despite the heroic efforts of New York City’s Fire Department, Police Department, Emergency Services Unit, and hundreds of civilians, more than 2,800 people were killed when the World Trade Center came down.  Included among the casualties were firefighters, police officers, emergency medical technicians, airline passengers and crewmembers, those who worked or had business in the World Trade Center, and civilians on the ground.  It is the view of the New York City Council, and millions of Americans, that all of the people who lost their livesin this terrorist attack are heroes as well as victims.  Today we celebrate their lives and mourn their passing by naming the following streets in honor of those heroes. 

While honoring them, we also acknowledge that it is but a modest gesture when compared to their great and ultimate sacrifice.  This is the sixth piece of legislation that the Council has considered to rename streets and other public places in their honor.  The following fifty-two sections of the bill are to honor these individuals.

Mary Catherine Murphy Boffa Avenue / formerly Lamoka Avenue, between Cortelyou Ave and Ridgewood Ave, Bourough of Staten Island.

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As I looked through the pages of the Legacy.com guest book, I noticed some kind words that people who knew Mary Catherine had left. 

"She was a wonderful person, with a very kind heart."

"She was very sweet - we met her in May 2001, we are the ones who bought her home, which she kept so very beautiful."

"She could light up a room with just one smile.  She possesed a natural ability to make everyone around her feel like they were special."

 

 

It seems that she was a very special and beloved sister, aunt and co-worker.  I am honored to have written this anniversary tribute to her.  ~CMN, 9/11/2006