Gertrude M. 'trudi' (birmingham) Murray

Gertrude M. 'Trudi' (Birmingham) Murray, 75, of East Hartford, peacefully went on her final journey on Monday, (January 28, 2008) at her home. Born in Salem, MA, a daughter of the late Arthur and Margaret (McCaron) Birmingham, she had resided in East Hartford for the past 30 years. Prior to her retirement in 1995 she was employed for 26 years by American Air Lines as a customer service representative. Gertrude was a communicant of St. Christopher Church, East Hartford and a volunteer for the Connecticut Hospice in Farmington. Gertrude also loved being a mother and spending time tinkering around her home. Besides her parents, she was predeceased by her husband, James P. Murray; a brother, Arthur Birmingham; and two sisters, Eleanor Wallace and Dorothy Wallace. Gertrude leaves behind her loving and caring daughter, Dorothy 'Dodi' Balesano and her husband Dean of East Hartford; two sisters, Evelyn Ross and Katherine Wallace both of Salem, MA; her 'adopted daughter', Leslie Colon of Manchester; dear friend and neighbor, Linda Richardson and her three children of East Hartford; her special dear friend and caregiver, Yvonne, whom she called 'Pumpkin'; several nieces and nephews. Funeral service will be Friday, February 1, at 11 a.m. from the D'Esopo-East Hartford Memorial Chapel, 30 Carter Street, East Hartford, with a Mass of Christian Burial celebrated at 12 Noon, at St. Christopher Church, 538 Brewer Street, East Hartford. Burial will be at Mount Saint Benedict Cemetery, Bloomfield. Relatives and friends may call at the funeral home chapel on Thursday, January 31, from 4-7 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Gertrude's memory may be made to the Connecticut Hospice-Farmington, 270 Farmington Avenue, Suite 235, Farmington, CT, 06032. For any on-line expressions of sympathy to the family please visit www.desopo.com.