J. Gertrude Murphy, 99, of Peachtree City, Ga. passed away peacefully at home with family on Nov. 12, 2012.
She was born in Chelsea, Mass. on October 19, 1913 and was the oldest of six children. She left high school to care for her family and at the age of 18, purchased her first home. Always determined, she went back and earned her high school diploma in her 40’s.
Having always loved to dance, she signed up for dance lessons as an adult. She later married her instructor, the owner of the studio, William Thomas Murphy, Sr. and together they spent many years performing together. They had one child, William Thomas Murphy, Jr. Despite living in downtown Boston and not owning a car, she always wanted to learn to drive, and took lessons, passed her driver’s test and drove her family cross-country to their new home in Downey, Calif. She drove many miles to work on the busy Los Angeles freeways until she eventually retired at the age of 80 to pursue other life dreams. She traveled throughout Europe and even joined a fitness program for senior’s and worked her way up to doing 100 push-ups at the age of 82! She stayed active up until her last days, and if you search the username “dancegrannydance” on you can see videos of her dancing at the age of 97. She even won second place in an online dance competition hosted by the JustDance video game creators.
Gertrude was a devout Catholic, who went to Mass every day. She was a remarkable woman who will be missed by many.
Gertrude is preceded in death by her late husband, William Thomas Murphy, Sr. & son, William Thomas Murphy, Jr.
She is survived by her granddaughter Shannon Helton & husband Ben of Peachtree City; grandson Joseph Murphy & wife Donna of El Segundo, Calif.; daughter-in-law Lillian Jones & husband Robert of Peachtree City; great-grandchildren, Daniel Murphy, Lily Helton, Emmett Helton; sister Robina Palladino of Chelsea, Mass.
A funeral mass was held Friday, Nov. 16, 2012 at 10 a.m. at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Peachtree City, GA.
Mowell Funeral Home, Peachtree City, Ga., 770-487-3959
