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June 1, 2026
Services
Friends are invited to visit with the family from 4-8 PM on Wednesday, June 3, 2026 at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne.
An 11 AM Funeral Service will be held Thursday, June 4, 2026 at the funeral home. Friends are invited to visit with the family from 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM prior to the service.
Interment will be in Laurel Grove Cemetery, Totowa.
Blanca E. Peña, age 83, of Wayne passed on Monday June 1, 2026.
The daughter of Mario and Fina Bouza, Blanca met her future husband Pedro Peña when his brother arranged a first date, with a chaperone, with their neighbors the Bouzas. The couple then married on November 11, 1958 and resided in Cuba until the Castro uprising. Feeling a need to flee communism Blanca left Cuba for Miami, alone at 19, with her then two-year-old daughter Blanca Teresita and soon to be born Cecilia. Pedro then surprised her 4 months later, with an unexpected knock on her door, when he was finally able to escape Cuba.
The family then, with the assistance of a local church, migrated to Paterson, New Jersey where they resided on Bell Ave and obtained jobs at the Marcal Paper factory where they alternated double shifts to try and save money and achieve the American Dream. After the birth of their son Peter the family moved to East Paterson before setting roots in Wayne in 1983, until this day.
Blanca and Pedro then opened Santa Barbara Jewlers in Paterson in 1969 and then Santa Barbara Furnite and Popular Jewlers before becoming the owners of Brown’s Appliance which had been a Passaic County institution for 50 years. The couple then ventured into real estate and other businesses before retiring.
Blanca was the matriarch of the family who raised her children with an iron fist yet caressed with the gentlest heart. She found joy in gardening, tending to her pool and cooking arroz con pollo for as many as could fit at her table.
Blanca is survived by her daughter Blanca of Clifton, Cecilia of Wayne and Peter and his wife Betsy of North Caldwell. She was also blessed with four grandchildren Jonathan Peña, Jason Peña, Adrianna Levato and Mark Peña as well as her only great granddaughter Adeline.
If you would like to send a private condolence directly to the family use this condolence section.
Friends are invited to visit with the family from 4-8 PM on Wednesday, June 3, 2026 at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne.
An 11 AM Funeral Service will be held Thursday, June 4, 2026 at the funeral home. Friends are invited to visit with the family from 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM prior to the service.
Interment will be in Laurel Grove Cemetery, Totowa.
June 1, 2026
Services
Friends are invited to visit with the family from 4-8 PM on Wednesday, June 3, 2026 at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne.
An 11 AM Funeral Service will be held Thursday, June 4, 2026 at the funeral home. Friends are invited to visit with the family from 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM prior to the service.
Interment will be in Laurel Grove Cemetery, Totowa.
Blanca E. Peña, age 83, of Wayne passed on Monday June 1, 2026.
The daughter of Mario and Fina Bouza, Blanca met her future husband Pedro Peña when his brother arranged a first date, with a chaperone, with their neighbors the Bouzas. The couple then married on November 11, 1958 and resided in Cuba until the Castro uprising. Feeling a need to flee communism Blanca left Cuba for Miami, alone at 19, with her then two-year-old daughter Blanca Teresita and soon to be born Cecilia. Pedro then surprised her 4 months later, with an unexpected knock on her door, when he was finally able to escape Cuba.
The family then, with the assistance of a local church, migrated to Paterson, New Jersey where they resided on Bell Ave and obtained jobs at the Marcal Paper factory where they alternated double shifts to try and save money and achieve the American Dream. After the birth of their son Peter the family moved to East Paterson before setting roots in Wayne in 1983, until this day.
Blanca and Pedro then opened Santa Barbara Jewlers in Paterson in 1969 and then Santa Barbara Furnite and Popular Jewlers before becoming the owners of Brown’s Appliance which had been a Passaic County institution for 50 years. The couple then ventured into real estate and other businesses before retiring.
Blanca was the matriarch of the family who raised her children with an iron fist yet caressed with the gentlest heart. She found joy in gardening, tending to her pool and cooking arroz con pollo for as many as could fit at her table.
Blanca is survived by her daughter Blanca of Clifton, Cecilia of Wayne and Peter and his wife Betsy of North Caldwell. She was also blessed with four grandchildren Jonathan Peña, Jason Peña, Adrianna Levato and Mark Peña as well as her only great granddaughter Adeline.
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