Obituaries

San Rafael Death Notices

Some of the people with ties to the San Anselmo-Fairfax area who've passed away recently.

James Joseph Turrini was born in San Rafael in 1925 and was a lifetime Marin County resident, living in San Anselmo for most of his life. Turrini was 17 when he enlisted in the military and served on the Navy Medical Core on the USS Chilton during World War II. He married his childhood sweetheart Jeanette upon his return. Turrini worked at San Quentin State Prison in the accounting department while attending University of San Francisco. He worked in a management position for the Franchise Tax Board for 35 years and starter a new career as a controller for Dale Cox Distributing, a position he held until a few weeks before his death. He was a devoted to family throughout his life and was a committed son to Marina and Pietro Turrini, who immigrated to the United States from Livemmo, Italy. Turrini died peacefully on Dec. 26, four days after his 88th birthday. He is survived by Jeanette. he will also be missed by Janice Turrini of Santa Rosa, Bob Turrini (wife Liz) of Novato, and Tom Turrini (wife Sue) of Windsor. He was the beloved grandfather of Angela Garvic (husband Josh), Jeff Turrini (wife Corinne), Daniel Turrini, Kelsey Turrini, Tanner Turrini, Hayden Turrin and Natal Turrini.

Catherine Hammond Gray was born in Berkeley in 1918 to Stanford graduates Ruth Andrews Hammond and Walter Hammond. She never knew her father, who died the year she was born during the influenza epidemic. She and her mother moved to Modesto to live with relatives shortly afterwards. She attended Modesto High and became a lifetime member of the California Scholarship Federation and Omega Nu. She received a B.A. in decorative arts from U.C. Berkeley after completing her Associate of Arts degree at Modesto Junior College. Gray received a teaching credential in 1940 and taught home economics at San Mateo High for three years after that. She was working a summer job at the Navy's Ship Service Store on Treasure Island in 1943 when she met  Richard Gray, a Navy Ensign whom she married in later that year. The Grays moved to Philadelphia after World War II and eventually settled in Marin County, where they founded World West College. They also founded Presidio World College and Presidio Graduate School in San Francisco. Catherine Gray also made time for volunteer work with the Girls Scouts and helped coordinate holiday gift wrapping events for Marin County homeless women. Gray is survived by her husband Richard and daughters Janice Gray Armstrong, Nancy Gray Schultz, and grandchildren Catherine Armstrong and Erick and Toby Schultz. Gray died of natural causes on Dec. 30. She was 95.

 

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Cornelia Elisabeth "Connie" Hackett Halligan was born in Livermore in 1948. She moved with her family to Napa the next year. She attended St. John's School, Napa High School and Napa Junior College. Halligan worked in the insurance industry in Marin County for many years after working at Bank of America in San Francisco for several years. She died on Nov. 3. She is survived by her husband, James Halligan of Novato, her brother Jim Hackett of San Francisco, her godmother Carmelita Murphy Slaughter and cousins throughout the state. Halligan was 64.

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