William P. Murtagh

01/12/2006

William P. Murtagh, 89, of 21 Highland Drive and a lifelong resident of Great Barrington, died yesterday at home. Born March 13, 1916, in Great Barrington, son of William and Margaret McDonough Murtagh, he was educated in local schools before going on to receive a bachelor's degree from Holy Cross in 1938 and a master's degree in education from the University of Massachusetts in 1939. Mr. Murtagh served as a captain of the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II and was honorably discharged in 1946. He returned to Great Barrington and briefly taught Latin at the former Searles High School before attending Albany Law School. He received his law degree in 1951. Mr. Murtagh returned to Great Barrington and established a law partnership with George McCormick. He later served as town counsel and town moderator for 25 years. He was a lifelong communicant of St. Peter's Church. He served as director of the Albert Schweitzer Friendship House for several years and was a director of the Pittsfield Cooperative Bank until this past fall. He was a member of the Massachusetts Bar Association, at one point serving as its president, and was a member of the Berkshire Alumni Club of Holy Cross. He also belonged to the Knights of Columbus, the American Legion and the American Bar Association. He was a lifelong member of the Wyantenuck Country Club, and played golf well into his 80s. He liked to travel, play cards, read and play bocce and tennis. His first wife, Joan Hassett of Great Barrington, died in 1980. In 1987, he married Ellen Chenot of Great Barrington, a woman he had first met while teaching at Searles High School. In addition to his wife, he leaves seven children, Patricia Murtagh of North Egremont, William P. Murtagh Jr. of Coto de Caza, Calif., Mary Alice Gowen of Park City, Utah, Martin Murtagh of Trumansburg, N.Y., Ann Gitto of Great Barrington, Kevin Murtagh of Albuquerque, N.M. and Brian Murtagh of Portland, Ore.; three step-children, and eleven grandchildren. FUNERAL NOTICE -- Services for Williams P. Murtagh, who died on Jan. 12, 2006, will be Monday, Jan. 16 at 9 at the BIRCHES-ROY FUNERAL HOME followed by a Liturgy of Christian Burial at 10 at St. Peter's Church with the Rev. Shaun O'Connor, M.I.C., pastor, officiating. Burial will follow in St. Peter's Cemetery. Family will receive friends on Sunday, Jan. 15, from 2 to 5 p.m. at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Peter's Church or HospiceCare in The Berkshires, care of the funeral home, 33 South St., Great Barrington, MA 01230. He leaves step-children Erica Haslett and her husband Harry, Marcus Livingston, and Betsy Kelleher and her husband Michael; sons-in-law George Gowen and David Gitto; daughters-in-law Amanda Murtagh, Louise Cannon and Jade Chan; and 11 grandchildren, Tara and William P. Murtagh III, Bailey and Morgan Gowen, Joseph, Troy and Benjamin Murtagh, Hadley and Keefe Gitto, and Cheyenne and Max Haslett. William Murtagh was seldom angry, rarely complained and had a wonderful laugh. He loved watching the Red Sox and spending time with his family. His family will miss his companionship, his spirited hellos and, above all, his warmhearted cheerfulness toward life, which he stood by right until the end. His opinion of the Berkshires was, "who could live anywhere else?"

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