Dear Editor:
This letter is a tribute to my dear friend Eleanor Bufano who passed away June 5, 2011 at 91 years old. I affectionately referred to Eleanor as my “little buddy.” Although she was short in height she stood tall in every other area. She was my buddy, mentor, and confident all rolled in one as she was to countless others.
Eleanor grew up in the depression era where it was more needed to work then become educated, yet she always wanted her high school diploma so when she was in her 80’s with the help of her friend Tom she achieved that goal.
She served as a committee woman for 12 years and was very active in Jersey City throughout her life as was her father Danny Bufano who the baseball field at Pershing Field Park is named after.
In 2006 she was voted woman of achievement – an award she was very proud of.
If you need a petition signed Eleanor was the one to go to where she went above and beyond her call of duty in getting signatures.
In the senior building where she resided she was very thorough in organizing Walmart trips, calling every tenant Thanksgiving time to see who wanted a free turkey among other tasks that she was diligent in her building as well as her community .
She fell sick in Oct. 2010 yet she still volunteered for the late Willie Wolfe’s children’s Christmas party as she did every year from the beginning.
Her community, faith, family, and friends were the utmost importance to Eleanor and she took her commitment to all with the same dedicated passion as a mother takes to her infant child.
My homage to her is some of my sentiments, but all she was goes way beyond mere words. Eleanor was truly an incredibly amazing woman!
To you, Eleanor Bufano, my dear “sweet” little buddy I am so very grateful for your being in my life and the many ways you touched my life.
You are missed greatly as well as being loved greatly to all those you touched.
May you rest in peace and God bless you always.
Rita Matyjewicz