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April 7, 2013
Services
Arrangements are being handled by Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, Wayne NJ. A memorial celebration of his life is scheduled for Saturday, May 11, 2013, which would have been the day after Murray’s 99th birthday, and will be held from 2-4 P.M. at Cedar Crest Village, 1 Cedar Crest Drive, Pompton Plains, NJ.
Murray, Socolof, age 98, died of cardiac arrest Sunday, April 7 at Chilton Hospital after suffering a fractured neck in an accidental fall Friday, April 5. He grew up in Brooklyn and graduated from Cornell University in 1935, after which he began his career in the supermarket business. He soon owned a chain of food markets in the Hudson Valley and Connecticut which he sold to Grand Union Co. in the early 1950’s. After joining Grand Union, he spent 13 years running the Mid-Atlantic Division of supermarkets in Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. When he was transferred back to Grand Union’s headquarters in New Jersey, he settled with his family in Franklin Lakes for the next 34 years. He reached the age of retirement in 1979, and followed the departing president of Grand Union to The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company as assistant to the chairman, and ultimately as a consultant until his retirement at the age of 89.
Murray’s retirement years were spent continuing his passion for travel. He spent four weeks in Guatemala City as a volunteer with the International Executive Service Corps. As a recognized expert in food distribution, he was invited by the French firm presenting plans for food distribution centers in the USSR; and later went as an adviser with the U.S. State Department to Honduras and Nicaragua. He also explored supermarket possibilities in Mexico, Brazil and Russia.
After his family, his love for tennis and bridge was a priority. Throughout his sixties and seventies, he played in the USTA Senior Tennis tournaments in Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Myrtle Beach, and even California. He and his partner, Ken Sausville, were the #1 over-75-doubles team in the East for two years. His love for bridge kept him challenged and entertained as he spent his weekday afternoons with the Activities Unlimited Bridge Group in Wyckoff. He and his partner, both nonagenarians, were even cited in the NY Times bridge column for an unusual hand they had played and won in their duplicate game in New Jersey. Murray and his wife moved to Cedar Crest Village in Pompton Plains in 2006.
Murray is survived by two children from his first marriage to the late Adrienne Baron, Peter Socolof of Kew Gardens, NY and Susan Socolof of Bethesda, MD. With his second wife of 54 years, the former Joan Gallagher, Murray was the proud and devoted patriarch of his family: five sons, their wives, seven grandchildren, and nieces and nephews.. He is survived by Stephen Socolof and Cristina Corona and their daughters, Giulia and Vittoria of Summit, NJ; Drs. Elias and Roslyn Socolof and their children, Rachel and Tom of Queensbury, NY; David and Maria Socolof of Chevy Chase, MD and daughters, Michaela and Camille; Jonathan Socolof of Lincoln Park, NJ; and Joseph and Dr. Virginia Lolley Socolof and daughter Eve, of Birmingham, AL.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory to the Scholar’s Fund at Cedar Crest Village, 1 Cedar Crest Drive, Pompton Plains, NJ 07444 would be appreciated.
If you would like to send a private condolence directly to the family use this condolence section.
Arrangements are being handled by Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, Wayne NJ. A memorial celebration of his life is scheduled for Saturday, May 11, 2013, which would have been the day after Murray’s 99th birthday, and will be held from 2-4 P.M. at Cedar Crest Village, 1 Cedar Crest Drive, Pompton Plains, NJ.
April 7, 2013
Services
Arrangements are being handled by Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, Wayne NJ. A memorial celebration of his life is scheduled for Saturday, May 11, 2013, which would have been the day after Murray’s 99th birthday, and will be held from 2-4 P.M. at Cedar Crest Village, 1 Cedar Crest Drive, Pompton Plains, NJ.
Murray, Socolof, age 98, died of cardiac arrest Sunday, April 7 at Chilton Hospital after suffering a fractured neck in an accidental fall Friday, April 5. He grew up in Brooklyn and graduated from Cornell University in 1935, after which he began his career in the supermarket business. He soon owned a chain of food markets in the Hudson Valley and Connecticut which he sold to Grand Union Co. in the early 1950’s. After joining Grand Union, he spent 13 years running the Mid-Atlantic Division of supermarkets in Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. When he was transferred back to Grand Union’s headquarters in New Jersey, he settled with his family in Franklin Lakes for the next 34 years. He reached the age of retirement in 1979, and followed the departing president of Grand Union to The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company as assistant to the chairman, and ultimately as a consultant until his retirement at the age of 89.
Murray’s retirement years were spent continuing his passion for travel. He spent four weeks in Guatemala City as a volunteer with the International Executive Service Corps. As a recognized expert in food distribution, he was invited by the French firm presenting plans for food distribution centers in the USSR; and later went as an adviser with the U.S. State Department to Honduras and Nicaragua. He also explored supermarket possibilities in Mexico, Brazil and Russia.
After his family, his love for tennis and bridge was a priority. Throughout his sixties and seventies, he played in the USTA Senior Tennis tournaments in Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Myrtle Beach, and even California. He and his partner, Ken Sausville, were the #1 over-75-doubles team in the East for two years. His love for bridge kept him challenged and entertained as he spent his weekday afternoons with the Activities Unlimited Bridge Group in Wyckoff. He and his partner, both nonagenarians, were even cited in the NY Times bridge column for an unusual hand they had played and won in their duplicate game in New Jersey. Murray and his wife moved to Cedar Crest Village in Pompton Plains in 2006.
Murray is survived by two children from his first marriage to the late Adrienne Baron, Peter Socolof of Kew Gardens, NY and Susan Socolof of Bethesda, MD. With his second wife of 54 years, the former Joan Gallagher, Murray was the proud and devoted patriarch of his family: five sons, their wives, seven grandchildren, and nieces and nephews.. He is survived by Stephen Socolof and Cristina Corona and their daughters, Giulia and Vittoria of Summit, NJ; Drs. Elias and Roslyn Socolof and their children, Rachel and Tom of Queensbury, NY; David and Maria Socolof of Chevy Chase, MD and daughters, Michaela and Camille; Jonathan Socolof of Lincoln Park, NJ; and Joseph and Dr. Virginia Lolley Socolof and daughter Eve, of Birmingham, AL.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory to the Scholar’s Fund at Cedar Crest Village, 1 Cedar Crest Drive, Pompton Plains, NJ 07444 would be appreciated.
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