Former longtime Fair Havenite and area teacher Agnes Maffey Turtur passed away peacefully at Monmouth Medical Center on April 16. She was 99.

“She was a devoted daughter, sister, aunt, wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother who had boundless energy, caring for all those who she loved. Family meant everything to her. Whether you knew her as Agnes, Mom, Grandma, Ama, Aunt Agnes or Gigi, you could always count on her unconditional love … She was always a beach lover and for the past 9 years she adored spending summers on the cabana deck at Surfrider Beach Club in Sea Bright, talking to everyone who walked by. She celebrated her birthday there every Labor Day Weekend and everyone on the beach sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to her. Agnes never lost her cognitive ability, and was able to memorize her niece’s 10-digit phone number by one verbal cue and execute the call just four days prior to her death.”

Loved ones of Agnes Maffey Turtur in her obituary

Born to the late Charles and Marie Maffey in Elizabeth, Agnes graduated from Sacred Heart Elementary School and Battin High School there and went on to receive a B.S. in Education from Rider College in 1941. She accelerated her studies and graduated in three years, commuting every day from Elizabeth to the college in Trenton.

In 1943 she married Felix J. Turtur III, also of Elizabeth, traveling with him and teaching school wherever the U.S. Army stationed him during World War II.  

In 1951, the couple settled at the Jersey Shore. They moved to Fair Haven in 1957 where they lived and raised their family for 43 years before moving to Shrewsbury in 2000.

Agnes was a teacher at the Markham Place School in Little Silver from 1957 until her retirement in 1982.

She loved traveling with her family, which included trips to Italy, Hawaii, Disney World, and many cruises and winters on Siesta Key Beach in Florida.

Agnes was predeceased by: Felix, her husband of 64 years; her sister, Grace A. Maffey; and brother, Charles G. Maffey. 

She is survived by: her loving daughter, Marlane Turtur Bade, of Fair Haven; her grandchildren, Kristina Bade Binder (John), of Fair Haven and Stephen A. Bade (Kathleen) of Brielle; her great-grandchildren, Thomas, Charlotte, Logan, Delaney, Weston and step great-grandchildren, JB and Ellie; and her brother, Constant O. Maffey (Afra) of Mechanicsburg, PA.

A memorial Mass celebrating Agnes’ life will be held at a future date.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations can be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital or Wounded Warrior Project.

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