Catherine Mary Grabler, (nee Murphy) born July 24, 1935 passed away peacefully on March 1, 2021 at the Chelsea in Tinton Falls at the age of 85 years.
Catherine was born in Westchester County, NY to the late Joseph and Helen (Wellers) Murphy.
She attended Catholic schools, excelling in her studies and eventually graduating high school
with honors. During her childhood in Elmsford and then White Plains, NY, she formed lifelong
friendships with Helen Murtha Thompson, Martha Hannon, and Jean Donegan. In 1956, she
graduated from Misericordia Hospital School of Nursing, Manhattan with an R.N.degree and
began her career in nursing.
At Misericordia, she met the love of her life Joseph Peter Grabler II, while chauffeuring friends
to a party. Joe and Cathy fell in love at the party, dancing and sharing their mutual passion for
music. They married August 1, 1959, had four children while residing in Jersey City and then
moved to New Shrewsbury in 1965.
Catherine eventually returned to work in nursing and retired after 29 years of service from
Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch, NJ where she found a niche in the CCU Unit.
Dedicated to her profession, she also obtained a CCRN and a Bachelors of Science in Nursing
Management from St Josephs in 1989.
Since childhood, her first love was always God, then later came her husband, children,
grandchildren, family and friends. She was a buoyant soul whose uplifting spirit was filled with
compassion and creativity, embracing family, friends and her patients with equal loving care.
She loved gardening, entertaining, cooking, sewing, and playing classical music on her Steinway
Grand Piano of which her favorite was Chopin.. She was proud of her Irish heritage, and was an
active communicant in the St. James Roman Catholic Church community.
Catherine was predeceased by her parents, and, in April of 2020, by her husband Joseph P.
Grabler; also, two brothers, Vincent and Joseph
Surviving are her children and their spouses:
Marie and Keith Braun of Howell, Joseph and Laura Grabler of Bridgewater, Cathy and Karl
Ciak of Island Heights, and Helene and Michael Scipione of Lincroft, and her 10 grandchildren
and their spouses: Amanda +Josh, Alex, Erika +Matt, Joseph, Melissa +Vic, Michael, Jason,
Nathaniel, Nora and Grace. She will be missed by all including her nephews and nieces of the
Murphy and Grabler family and dear friends.
The name Murphy means hospitality and Catherine embodied that spirit expressing generosity,
compassion, caring, warmth and love. ‘Til we meet again, May God hold you in the palm of His
hand.
Visitation will be at the John E. Day Funeral Home, 85 Riverside Avenue in Red Bank, on
Thursday, March 4 th , between 5:00 and 8:00 PM. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated
on Friday, March 5 th at 11 AM, and interment will be private.
The family asks that, in lieu of flowers, you consider a donation in Catherine’s memory to either
Alzheimer’s New Jersey, 428 Eagle Rock Avenue, Suite 203, Roseland, NJ 07068, or The
National Shrine of The Divine Mercy, 2 Prospect Hill Road, Stockbridge, MA 01262.
Please visit Catherine’s memorial website at www.johnedayfuneralhome.com
To send flowers
to the family, please visit our floral store.