On Friday, the 27th of December 2024, Ferhan McMurtrie, our beautiful, loving mother and eternally devoted wife, passed away gently at the age of 78.
Ferhan was born and raised in Istanbul, Turkey where she met the love of her life, Richard. They were married in Hackensack, New Jersey in 1964 and lived in Europe and the US with their young family for Richard’s career, until settling in Ocala, Florida in 1977.
As a young widow, upon Richard’s passing in 1983, Ferhan set out at the age of 37 to achieve her US high school equivalency and an A.S. Degree in office systems technology from Central Florida Community College. Having previously devoted herself entirely to her husband and to raising their two children, Ferhan went on to build a successful career as a coordinator in the Marion County School Health Department.
Her strong work ethic, her constant care and kindness for all those around her, and her vivacity, humour, and charm made her unique. She encouraged her beloved children, Dean and Kathleen, to travel the world in their turn and she never complained when they settled in Europe and built their lives and families in far-away cities. She celebrated their choices and loved them constantly from afar, cherishing them on every visit that brought them to her or her to them. She was an adoring grandmother to Jonatan, Sasha, and Alexei for whom she would have given her last breath to help them learn happiness and purpose.
She loved her daughter-in-law, Elzbieta and her son-in-law, Eric, like her own children. She loved her dear friends who brought companionship and comfort to her every day life. Hers was a life defined by the support and love she gave so selflessly to others. May she rest in peace in the knowledge that she touched so many hearts and how deeply she was loved in return.
Ferhan will be laid to rest with her husband, Richard, at Forest Lawn Memorial Garden in Ocala on Saturday, the 18th of January at 3 p.m.