John Stephen Murtha

John Stephen Murtha, 98, of Duncaster in Bloomfield, CT, died peacefully on Thursday, May 26 at 9 p.m. Born April 30, 1913, in Hartford, CT, he was the son of the late John J. Murtha and Agnes Hennessey Murtha. On July 7, 1939, he married his beloved wife, Winifred Garvan, who predeceased him on Sept. 30, 2006. They were devoted to each other and, following her death, a day never passed without his mentioning how much he loved and missed her. He leaves three children whom he cherished: J. Garvan Murtha and his wife, Nicole Y. Murtha, of Brattleboro, Vt.; Leslie M. Reed and her husband, David L. Reed, of Newport, R.I.; and Brenda M. Croke and her husband, James P. Croke, of Medfield, Ma.; sixteen grandchildren and twenty great-grandchildren. He was also predeceased by his brother, Joseph J. Murtha, and his two sisters, Mary M. Stearns and Anne M. Moses. A son died in infancy. John graduated from the Loomis-Chaffee School, Yale College and Yale Law School. He served in the U.S. Naval Reserve from 1943 to 1946 as the Commanding Officer of an LCIL Infantry Landing Craft in the Mediterranean Theater and of an LST Landing Ship Tank in the Pacific Theater. His long and distinguished legal career commenced in 1938 upon joining the Hartford law firm Hewes, Prettyman and Awalt. After serving in the Navy, he became an Assistant States Attorney for Hartford County until 1951 when he rejoined the Hewes firm. In 1968, the firm became Murtha, Cullina, Richter and Pinney, eventually becoming Murtha Cullina LLP. Murtha Cullina now employs over 120 attorneys at locations in Connecticut and Massachusetts. John was a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. He retired from the practice of law in 1989. John's generosity knew no boundaries. Besides his unflagging devotion to family, he gave tirelessly to the community. His contributions were incredibly diverse and included service to the following charitable organizations: The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving Chairman; The United Way of Greater Hartford President and General Campaign Chairman; The American Red Cross, Greater Hartford Chapter Director and Vice Chairman; The Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation Director; The Boys and Girls Club of Hartford Director; The Hartford, St. Francis and Mt. Sinai Hospitals Corporator and Director; The Loomis-Chaffee School Trustee; The Ethel Walker School Trustee; The Oxford School President; Saint Joseph College Trustee; St. Thomas More Center at Yale Trustee; The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving Chairman; The Yale Club of Hartford President; The Hartford Rehabilitation Center Trustee; and Church of St. Ann in Avon First President Council. In addition, he served as Director of several corporations, including the United Bank and Trust Company, the Mechanics Savings Bank, Security Insurance Company, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Connecticut and Kaman Corporation. He also served as Director and President of the Hartford Golf Club. John was honored by the Catholic Church as a Knight of St. Gregory; by Yale College as recipient of the Nathan Hale Award; by the United Way as recipient of the Community Service Award; and by the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving as recipient of the Distinguished Leadership Citation. John's pastimes included golf, skiing, and gardening about which he noted "my golf has much to be desired, my skiing is adequate for a man my age, and my gardening is superb." His greatest wish, he added, was the hope that "all our children may be able to live in a world of peace." John's family wishes to recognize the devotion of his caregivers since the loss of his wife, especially Sheila Walton, Janette Williams, Dolores Nelson and Geraldine Bennett. Their kindnesses sustained him and gave great comfort to his children. Funeral services will be Friday, June 3 at 10:00 a.m. in St. Peter Claver Catholic Church, 47 Pleasant St. West Hartford. Burial will follow in Fairview Cemetery, West Hartford. A reception will follow at the Farmington Country Club. There will be no visiting hours.The family suggests that those wishing to make a contribution in John's memory consider the following charitable organizations: The Hartford Seventh Day Adventist Area School, HASDAS 474 Woodland St. Hartford, CT 06112 or The Open Hearth Association of Hartford, 437 Sheldon St. Hartford, CT 06105-1939. Online remembrances may be made at www.molloyfuneralhome.com

John Stephen Murtha

April 30, 1913 - May 26, 2011