Manera Maloof Smith of Boston’s South End passed away on July 15, 2026 surrounded by her family, levitating in love. While she was 76 years old, those who knew her knew she wasn’t a day over 39.

Manera was the dear and devoted wife of Anthony A. Smith, loving mother of Matthew May-Smith and his husband Jacob of Boston, and Isabelle Smith of Boston. Dear sister of Jameela Gardos of Arizona. Manera is also survived by her loving cousins, nieces, nephews, and dear friends.

Born and raised by a proud and loving Syrian & Lebanese family, Manera graduated from Girls’ Latin School and among many yearbook signatures, a friend had said Manera was someone who could “sparkle her way through anything”. Manera then attended UMass Boston where she met her lifelong college friends through their shared passion of acting and performance. After her years at UMass, Manera continued to pursue her education in New York City, learning the teachings of Stanislavski and studying directly under Stella Adler. While working and starring in productions across stage and screen, fate intervened through a mutual friend, leading to her first date with the man who would become her husband of forty-seven incredible years. Together they raised their children instilling a strong sense of morality, honest values, grace and a love of the arts. Manera would take her children to The Metropolitan Museum of Art nearly every weekend, teaching them the profound impact of creativity and the vital importance of making art accessible to people from all walks of life.

In 2004, Manera and family returned to Boston to be closer to her mother and to usher in a new chapter of her family’s life. Manera quickly became an incredible pillar of the South End community, well known for her showstopping politically-centric Halloween displays and beautiful Christmas decorations. Halloween was Manera’s way of giving back to the community who raised her, ensuring that every child living in the city felt the joy & magic of the season. Over the years Manera’s house became a destination as her love of Halloween spread, where she gave out full-size candy bars and even pencils to the up to the 1,500 kids who would come visit, sending them off with her signature reminder: “Happy Halloween and be good in school”. Always operating on what was right, Manera found her decorations to be in service to an idea. A principle she remembered from her theater training was that when you put yourself in service to an idea, one even bigger than yourself, then ego & fear would go away and only leave room to bring those around you joy.

Manera will be missed though her light will shine on in our hearts forever.

Manera’s Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, July 25, 2026 at 12 noon at the Kfoury Keefe Funeral Home 8 Spring St. (at the corner of Centre St.) West Roxbury. Visiting hours will be held from 10 a.m. to noon. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend.

In lieu of flowers, Manera's family asks that donations be made to two charities she was particularly close to, St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital & Palestine Children's Relief Fund.

Interment will be private.