Our beautiful daughter Maria Maroko
3/19/01 - 5/07/25

We are devastated to announce the unexpected and sudden passing of our daughter, Maria Maroko. Maria was born on March 19, 2001 in Syracuse New York, but grew up in Marlboro, New Jersey. At Dugan Elementary School, she was awarded the Citizenship Award. She attended Marlboro Middle School where she was then awarded the English Honors Medal upon graduation. She then went on to attend Communications High School in Wall where she was selected to be a member of the National Art Honor Society. A passionate and talented writer, she studied literature at The College of New Jersey, earning her degree from the Honors College. Maria moved to Montclair after graduation where she continued to write and draw. She had recently started a new job as a Library Assistant, where she was surrounded by the books she so loved. We lost Maria far too soon, on May 7, 2025.

Maria was infinitely loved by her entire family and was an amazing big sister to her younger siblings. Although she was young, she always possessed an old soul. With an artist's heart and a philosopher's mind, Maria felt things more deeply than most. While she was inexhaustibly kind and infinitely compassionate, it did not dull her sharp and often acerbic wit and sense of humor. While Maria struggled navigating a world that was not designed for someone like her, she never stopped trying to make that world a better place. For those fortunate enough to know her beyond her shy exterior, they would inevitably grow to adore the brilliant, talented, kindhearted, vulnerable, and charitable woman inside, who loved the simple pleasures of drawing, comic books, and muffins. Her parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, teachers, friends, and devoted partner all loved her deeply and will miss her profoundly.

Our hearts are forever broken, and our lives will never be the same without her light and love. We will forever miss our wise owl and beloved bookworm.

"I see your true colors, and that's why I love you…"

In lieu of flowers, please donate to Mental Health Association of Monmouth County .