Barie Skuka

Barie Skuka (nee Xhafa), age 80, of Wayne passed away peacefully on Wednesday, February 24, 2021 while receiving the loving care of her family.

Barie was born in Peshkopi Albania and was one of four children.  Barie and her siblings grew up in Albania and spent their formative years during a time following the Second World War.  This was also a critical time in their country’s history as Albania suffered a communist takeover.  Despite her country’s suffering and the tragedy of her mother passing when she was only three years old, Barie graduated high school and went on to college.  Barie found employment quickly after graduating from college at the main Hospital in her home town of Peshkopi where she experienced a career that spanned nearly forty years.

As a young woman in 1962, Barie married a young and handsome man by the name of Sami Skuka.  Barie and Sami had a  caring relationship that was based on mutual support and a deep love for each other. They had five beautiful children.  Living and raising their children in an environment such as communism, Barie's indomitable spirit encouraged her family to persist in the face of many struggles and to always stay humble. Barie and Sami stressed to their children how important it was to choose a destination to immigrate where they could be “Free”, free to challenge themselves, to have goals, and to put forth the sweat in order to achieve them. Their children chose to immigrate to the United States and in the year 2000, after Barie had retired, she and Sami immigrated to America as well to be near their children.

When Barie and Sami arrived in the USA in 2000, they settled in Connecticut where they lived with their daughter.  They remained there until about 2008 when they moved to Wayne.  Barie and Sami remained in Wayne ever since.  Barie loved gardening and grew a variety of vegetables and flowers in her front and back yard over the years.  One of her favorite past-times was watching movies, typically American movies. She loved watching the news and discussing current events with her daughters.There was nothing that Barie liked better than an interesting conversation. She could have an engaging conversation with anyone.  She was a wonderful cook and cherished hosting holidays, particularly Thanksgiving, at her home with her family.  Aside from all of Barie’s interests and talents, her greatest passion was for her family.  Nothing in the world meant more to Barie than providing and spending time with her children and grandchildren.  Barie and her husband Sami cherished more than fifty years of loving and loyal marriage together until Sami’s passing in 2014.

Growing up in communist Albania, Barie was never and could never be a parishioner or member of a particular church, however she was extremely spiritual and believed deeply in God.  Barie was a smart strong woman with a huge heart.  She always handled her situations, no matter how difficult or trying, with grace.  She was a devoted mother who challenged and pushed her children to always do better and be better.   Barie was a very special person who touched the lives of many people and will be missed by everyone that knew her.

Barie is survived by her son Arian Skuka and his wife Sonja of Wayne, NJ, four daughters; Eva Skuka of Wayne, NJ, Violetta Kraja of Queens, NY, Natasha Mustafai and her husband Lou of Pompton Plains, NJ, and Mira Piccione and her husband Scott of Farmington, CT, and six grandchildren; Iv, Lula, Bina, Jessica, Lana, Amanda, and Ray.  She was predeceased by her husband Sami Skuka in 2014, as well as her two brothers, one sister, and three step brothers.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Barie’s name may be made to St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memorial Processing, 501 St Jude Place, Memphis TN 38105-9959.   http://www.stjude.org