Obituary of Marie Estella Stopfer

Marie E. Stopfer of West Orange passed away peacefully on May 3, 2019 with her loved ones by her side. She battled cancer valiantly and with dignity and grace.

Visiting will be held on Thursday May 9, 2019 at The Dangler Funeral Home of West Orange, 340 Main St. in West Orange from 4:00 to 8:00 PM.  In lieu of flowers and in loving memory of Marie, please make donations to the Society of The Little Flower, 1313 N. Frontage Road, Darien, Illinois 60561 or The Carmelite Sisters, 600 Woods Road, Germantown, NY 12526.

A Funeral Mass will be offered on Friday 11:00 AM, May 10, 2019 at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church 1 Eagle Rock Avenue West Orange, NJ 07052. Interment will follow at Immaculate Conception Cemetery in Montclair.  Letters of condolence may be posted at danglerfuneralhome.com.

Marie was born and raised in Atlantic City, moved to Chicago, before moving to West Orange in 1945. Marie graduated from Our Lady of The Valley High School in Orange. Marie was the Municipal Clerk of the Township of West Orange from 1977 - 1990. She was President of the Essex County Municipal Clerks Assoc1977- 1978. Marie was also a member of the Essex County Women’s Bowling Association and was the first Inductee into the Hall of Fame in 1976 for superior performance. Marie was inducted into the West Orange Athletes Hall of Fame in 1993, A member of the West Essex Women’s Golf Association and was President 1996-1997. During her golfing career she had two Holes-in-one. Marie was a member of the Little Flower of St. Therese. She loved swimming with the Dolphins in Cancun, going on a helicopter ride in Alaska and then walking on the Mendenhall Glacier. Also walking on the bottom of the sea (of course when the water receded) at Hopewell Rocks in New Brunswick, Canada, and going into the north rim of the Grand Canyon by mule. Marie will be deeply missed. She is survived by her beloved life partner of 20 years Patricia B. Schoeler, beloved daughter of the late Kenneth R. Stopfer and Estella Hogan Stopfer Mott and Stepdad Fred Mott. Beloved sister Marianne O’Brien, beloved Aunt of Kenneth(Denise) O’Brien, William O’Brien and Meghan O’Brien, beloved great aunt of Kaitlyn and Liam O’Brien, George and Sean Higgins and Grace O’Brien. Also survived by her much loved cousins, Edmond(Gloria) Hogan, James(Donna) Hogan and Annmarie (Guy) Havens and many other cousins. Marie loved her family and her many friends. She has touched so many with her loving and caring heart and willingness to help others in any way she can. She had a quick wit and loved telling her jokes. A great Athlete.