Obituaries

In Memoriam: Gert ‘Gigi’ Read Massey Murphy Stratton, 96

“GIGI HAS LEFT THE ROOM AT 5:30 THIS MORNING. REST IN PEACE.
LOVE YOU.”

It was the simple phrase that former Sea Bright Councilman Read Murphy left on his Facebook wall on June 27, the morning of his well-liked, vibrant mom’s passing.

Gertrude Read Massey Murphy Stratton, known as Gigi or Gert, of Red Bank and Tequesta, FL, passed away at 5:30 that morning “with her loving family at hand.” She was 96.

“It goes without saying that, as it was for many seniors, the COVID pandemic and ensuing forced isolation was an inflection point in the life of this uniquely social being and precipitated her long and unfortunate decline in health.”

Loved ones of Gigi in her obituary

Born in June of 1925 in Brooklyn, NY, the only child of Harry Bostwick Massey and Mignon Read Massey, Gigi was predeceased by her first husband of 25 years George W. Murphy, her second husband of 41 years Donald W. Stratton and her best friend in life, Magdalene Senise Beetlestone, her “Maggie.”

Gigi, as friends said in a flood of condolence messages on social media, was a woman with an unmistakable joie de vivre and chutzpah. She was known to make, keep and cherish friends and fun. At the top of that friends list was her oldest, best friend.

“Gert commenced her nearly 90 year friendship with her beloved Maggie whilst swinging on the awning supports of her childhood home, The Yorkshire on Clinton Ave. They later spent countless after-school hours on the rooftops of Brooklyn comparing notes on Frank Sinatra and other teen idols of the day.”

She attended St. Angela Hall and Adelphi Academy in Brooklyn and graduated from Finch College in Manhattan.  

“After somewhat successfully raising six sons, she became known to all as Gigi – short for Grandma Gert. Her youthful, fun-loving persona never changed, however, and she was widely known for her humor and good spirited hijinks. She was a social and often self-deprecating character, commenting that she never sewed or knitted, spent the absolute minimum amount of time required in the kitchen, was never a scout leader or participant in the garden club, but she loved to laugh at herself and she thrived in the company of others. She actually had a pillow on her sofa that read ‘If you have nothing nice to say, come sit by me.’
Gigi loved people, animals, bridge, golf, NY Post front-page headlines and
a well-crafted Cosmopolitan (no fruit).

Loved ones of Gigi Read Massey Murphy Stratton in her obituary

Gigi is survived by: her six sons, George, Jr., Read, David, Mark, Seth and Jed Murphy; incredible daughters-in-law, Kris, Barbara, Joyce, Sylvie and Laurie; 13 grandchildren, 15 great grandchildren and one great-great.

Services are private. Thompson Memorial Home of Red Bank has been entrusted with the arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, Gigi requested memorial donations be directed to the Hospice Program of the Visiting Nurse Association of Central Jersey https://vnahg.org or the Associated Humane Societies-NJ www.ahscares.org.

— Edited obituary provided by loved ones via Thompson Memorial Home