Jonathan Paul Murray

Jonathan Paul Murray, 59, of Union City, NJ passed away on October1, 2018. He is survived by his loving family Elizabeth Murray (nee Toal), sister Louise Murray, brother Denis Murray, and nephew Denis Murray, Jr and Ruadhan Murray.

Jonathan was born in Dublin Ireland on December 2, 1958. He graduated from Chanel College Coolock and had a career as a hairdresser in Ireland. To seek his fortune, he immigrated to the US in 1986, working a variety of jobs, including waiting tables and working in the food business. He truly loved being in the States, especially in the club hopping 80’s, and being a bit of a risk-taker, stayed illegally.

Jonathan was fun loving, with a quick wit, a wonderful sense of humor and an appreciation of style and fashion. He was the person you wanted join you at the party or the dinner table, and he was a great friend. But he was also smart and hard-working, and he persevered and eventually got his green card. Having developed and interest in Nutrition while working in the food industry he attended Hunter College and received his Bachelors in Nutrition in1998.

He went on to the Rutgers/UMDNJ Internship and after graduation, started work in the Balcony Café at UMDNJ, his first job in his new field. Jonathan went on to work at The Valley Hospital as Patient Services Manager. He was an active member of the Association of HealthCare Food Service New Jersey Chapter and served as its President. He later moved to NYU Langone Medical Center as Director of Patient Services. While at NYU Langone, Jonathan completed his Masters in Nutrition at New York University in 2014. He left NYU Langone in 2015 and went on to get his Real Estate license.

Jonathan became ill with Myelodysplasia Syndrome which progressed to the point in 2015 that he needed a bone marrow transplant. He was fortunate to match with a donor, Landon James Purvis. Landon and he were honored at the National Bone Marrow Gala in Minneapolis in September of 2017. Unfortunately, though the transplant did extend his life, allowing him to enjoy time with those he loved, its positive effects did not last, and he was diagnosed with additional cancers.

Though he was ill he continued to work hard and fight on. He had always been interested in political and social justice and part of organizations such as Hudson Pride which bridges the gap in services for LGBTQ Community and those living with HIV/AIDS. In December of 2017, he was very proud that he, a young lad who had once been an undocumented immigrant to the US, became an America Citizen.

A Gathering and Memorial Service will be held at Leber Funeral Home in Union City, New Jersey from 6 to 8 pm on Friday, October 5th. A Funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, October 6th at 11:30 am at St. Ann’s Church in Hoboken, New Jersey.

Jonathan’s resolve in fighting his illness is well expressed by a quote he recently posted: “Life isn’t meant to be easy, it’s meant to be LIVED. Sometimes good, other times rough, but with every up and down, you learn lessons that make you STRONG.”