Obituary of Margaret L. Coffey

Margaret L. Coffey, 85, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by her family on June 11, 2025.

Born in Malden, Massachusetts, Margaret lived in Short Hills for 36 years before moving to Summit in 2006. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Kean University and was deeply devoted to her family and community.

Margaret was deeply committed to her community and generously dedicated her time and talents to various organizations. She served two terms as President of the St. Rose of Lima Ladies Auxiliary and held numerous other leadership roles within the organization. She was a member of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre.  Her civic engagement extended to serving on the Board of Trustees for both the Paper Mill Playhouse and the Neighborhood House Nursery School.

A devoted volunteer, Margaret contributed many years of service to The Junior League of The Oranges and Short Hills.

With a passion for antiques, Margaret owned and operated a charming antique shop in the heart of Millburn, aptly named The Fluted Urn. She also channeled her entrepreneurial spirit into a children’s clothing business, The Traditional Child, which she co-founded with her daughter, Caroline.

Education was one of Margaret’s highest priorities. She strongly believed that no child or grandchild should bear the burden of student loans—from kindergarten through college. To uphold this belief, Margaret and her husband Fred made personal sacrifices to ensure they could fully fund their family’s education.

Thanks to their dedication, their grandchildren were able to attend prestigious schools including Oak Knoll School of The Holy Child, The Peck School, Oratory Prep, Newark Academy and Kent Place. Their higher education continued at esteemed institutions such as Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Boston College, Marist College, College of the Holy Cross, and Tufts University.

She is survived by her beloved husband of 63 years, Frederick R. Coffey; her children, Caroline Burd (Dennis) and Frederick Coffey; and her cherished grandchildren, Nora Burd Endress (Robert), Nicholas Burd (Michelle), Margaret Burd (Jake Mullin), Emma Coffey (Dave DeRosa), and Amelia Coffey. Margaret was also the proud great-grandmother of three.

She was the loving sister of Ellen Holmes, Rita Pulson, and her twin brother Thomas Lucey, and was predeceased by her sister Catherine Rand.

Visitation will be held at The Jacob A. Holle Funeral Home, 2122 Millburn Ave, Maplewood, NJ 07040 on Friday, June 13^th  from 4:00 to 7:00 PM. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Rose of Lima Church, 50 Short Hills Ave, Short Hills on Sat, June 14^th  at 10:00 AM. Interment will follow at St. Rose of Lima Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Margaret’s memory may be made to The

Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, PO Box 5014,

Hagerstown, MD 21741 or michaeljfox.org.