Mendham Woman, 37, Dies From Brain Tumor

Obituary/photo via Bailey Funeral Home:

Maria Sophia Urmeneta Harris passed away at home on June 24, 2017 after a long illness. She was 37.

She was born in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines to Abraham Salvanera Urmeneta and Mary Helen Carino Urmeneta of Virginia Beach, VA.

Mrs. Harris was a social worker specializing as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor for the Northwest Essex Community Health Center in Montclair. She was a graduate of Drew University and Boston University, and had earned a Master's Degree in Social Work.

She was artistic and saw the world in the brightest of colors, always looking for an adventure to take on. She was a fabulous cook and enjoyed traveling, especially to Hawaii and Cape Cod in the summers. She was a loving and caring wife, mother and daughter, and was known to laugh fully and with all her heart. Her Faith in God was unwavering even through very difficult times while she valiantly battled an aggressive brain tumor.

Caring for her husband and son was her greatest pride and she did so with grace and style.

In addition to her parents, Mrs. Harris is survived by her husband of eight years, Colin Benjamin Harris of Mendham, her son Grayson Dean Urmeneta Harris, her brother Johann Christoph Urmeneta of Virginia Beach, VA, her sister Helen Marie Urmeneta Yi of Red Bank, NJ, and many nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be at Bailey Funeral Home, 8 Hilltop Road, Mendham, NJ 973-543-4720 on Thursday, June 29, 2017 from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Funeral services will be from the funeral home on Friday, June 30, 2017 at 9:30 AM, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 AM at St. Joseph's R. C. Church, West Main Street, Mendham. Interment will follow at Mendham Hilltop Cemetery on Hilltop Road following Mass.

In lieu of flowers, donations are requested by the family in her memory to the American Brain Tumor Association, 8550 West Bryn Mawr Avenue, Suite 550, Chicago, IL 60631, (773) 577-8750.