Maria (Müller) Butka, of Elizabeth, NJ, passed away on Monday, September 16, 2013, surrounded by her loving family. She was 86 years old.
Born in Kleinaign, Germany, Maria moved to the United States in 1951. She met her husband, Stefan Butka, the same year and the couple shared a marriage lasting over 60 years.
In addition to raising her family, Maria was a longtime employee of the American Can Company in Hillside, NJ. In her spare time she enjoyed gardening both flowers and vegetables and spending time at her Christmas tree farm in Glen Gardener, NJ.
Maria is predeceased by her parents, Josef Müller and Anna Lax; sister, Sophie Bossert; aunt, Sophie Bossert; and three brothers, Josef, Xaiver, and Konrad Müller, formerly of Germany.
She leaves behind her loving husband of 60 years, Stefan Butka, of Elizabeth, NJ; sisters, Anna Weber of Barryville, NY, Katherina Müller of Germany, Freida Adam and her husband Maxillian of Germany, and Francisca Grundl and her husband Eric of Germany; daughter Rosemary Butka and her husband Peter Hierl of Union, NJ; son Steven Butka of Elizabeth, NJ; son David Butka and his wife Diane of Cranford, NJ; three grandchildren, Julia Butka, Sarah Butka, and Brian Butka of Cranford, NJ; her beloved cat, Peanut Butter; and two grandcats, Fred and Suzi.
Family and friends are invited to attend a visitation for Maria on Friday, September 20, 2013 from 2-4PM and 7-9PM at the Bradley, Haeberle & Barth Funeral Home, located at 1100 Pine Avenue in Union. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, September 21, 2013 at 9:00AM at St. Genevieve’s Church, located at 200 Monmouth Road in Elizabeth. Interment will follow at Hollywood Memorial Park in Union.