Obituary of Maya Sophia Tajudeen

Maya Sophia Tajudeen, a bright light in the lives of many, passed away on October 18, 2024.

Born in Morristown, NJ, to Naufel and Ami Tajudeen, Maya spent half of her life in Denville, NJ, where she made countless memories and touched the hearts of those around her.

Attending elementary school on the big island of Hawaii, Maya excelled academically and came to love the outdoors. With her family she would often hike or ride her bike at Volcanoes National Park, learned the art of Hula from Halau Kahikilaulani and explored the Pacific Ocean going on to earn her certification as a PADI open water SCUBA diver at age 11. In that tropical paradise, Maya learned to play the piano and spent the weekends with school friends playing beachfront soccer, camping with family and stargazing atop Mauna Kea. The island remains a sacred place and Maya always enjoyed that paradise visiting often through the years long after she moved back to NJ.

Back on the mainland in 2015, Maya’s world grew so much larger. She explored nearly the whole of the USA traveling cross country, up to Alaska for the northern lights and down the Florida Keys.  Maya was an eclipse chaser having witnessed 3 total solar eclipses since 2017. It was during these years that Maya came to love travel and connect with others even when language was a barrier.

During middle school at Valleyview Maya became involved in many STEM based programs and projects even attending a robotics specialty summer camp. Maya joined the Denville Girl Scouts and learned the importance of volunteering and community service. She attended Hip Hop class at Denville Dance, ran cross country with the Denville Striders and participated in the school’s annual musical production.

As a senior at Morris Knolls High School, Maya was known for her adventurous spirit, joining the Varsity fencing team as a freshman. Maya was also a part of PureMMA where she studied the arts of Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiujitsu. Maya was fluent in Spanish after 5 years of class however, her passions extended beyond academics; she found joy in art, painting, and crocheting everything from blankets to clothing. Maya loved music, often making her own music, and for a short while hosted her own YouTube channel. Maya was fascinated by astrology, tarot cards, and crystals. She also cherished the thrill of snowboarding often traveling internationally with family to ride her beloved board, “Siren.”

Maya is survived by her devoted parents, Naufel and Ami (Desai) Tajudeen, and her beloved sister, Layla Tajudeen. She is also mourned by her caring paternal grandparents, Kavungal and Dilsath Tajudeen, and her maternal grandmother, Geeta Desai and her Hanai grandfather Milton Kaneko from Hawaii. Maya's extended family includes her Uncle Bobby and his wife, Emily Tajudeen, her Aunt Sarah and her husband, Brandon Giglio, as well as her cherished Poi-Dog, Jane. Maya will also be mourned by her younger cousins Ayla, Alina, James and Tyler. 

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, October 23, 2024, from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM at Norman Dean Home for Services, located at 16 Righter Avenue, Denville, NJ 07834 www.normandean.com.

Memorial donations can be made in her memory to the National Alliance on Mental Illness - NAMI, or to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention by way of www.inmemof.com.

Maya’s vibrant spirit and love for life will be deeply missed, but her memory will continue to inspire all who knew her.