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Ethel Virginia Murphy McGrath, second of Arthur & Ethel's children, was born
on February 19, 1914 in NY City. At age 10, she moved to Harrison, NY, a
suburb about 15 miles north of the big city. At 15, she assumed management of
the household when mother had to go to work. Ethel attended St. Gabriel's
High School in New Rochelle, graduating in 1930.
Business school would better qualify her for employment and advancement, but
the $100 cost was beyond the family's means. Ethel went to the father of a
close girlfriend to ask for a loan. He was not a wealthy man and times were
tough. But he admired Ethel's determination to improve herself and so gave
her the $100 with a strict schedule for repayment. When she repaid the loan
in half the allotted time, he told her, "Ethel, if you need money for
anything, you can come to me."
In 1938, she took it upon herself to pay the tuition so her little brother,
Bill could go to Fordham Prep. This was no small sacrifice,but she felt the
value of a Jesuit education was worth it.
In 1940, Ethel married Gerry McGrath, subsequently raising a girl,
Geraldine, and three
boys, Tom, Bruce and Greg, first in the upstairs apartment of a two family
Mt. Vernon house, then
for many years in a nice home on beautiful Shadow Lane in Larchmont.
Today, at 86, Ethel resides in an assisted living facility in San Marcos, CA
near her son Bruce.
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