Murray O. Gibson

Murray O’Brien Gibson, 88, of New Hartford, CT, passed away peacefully on August 23, 2011, surrounded by his children and his wife Nancy Marshall Gibson, the love of his life for 25 years.

Murray O'Brien Gibson

Born March 27, 1923, in Newcastle, Ontario, Canada, Murray emigrated as a boy with his parents Alfred and Edith Gibson and five siblings to the United States and a new home in Cortland, N.Y. He served in World War II in the U.S. Army’s 103rd infantry division from April 1943 to April 1946, seeing combat in France and Germany. He graduated from Cornell University with an architecture degree in 1949 and in 1954 founded an architecture firm in Connecticut with college classmates Jim Russell and Bob von Dohlen. Initially building its reputation on the design of schools and churches, Russell Gibson von Dohlen grew to become one of the most successful firms in western New England, with offices in five states and nearly 200 employees at its peak. Notable buildings designed during Murray’s tenure as chairman include the Connecticut Legislative Office Building, the Connecticut River Plaza and State House Square, all in downtown Hartford, the Tampa Convention Center in Tampa, FL, the award-winning Heublein corporate headquarters in Farmington, and the University of Connecticut’s Gampel Pavilion in Storrs. Interior design projects were executed by the firm for clients such as Aetna Life and Casualty and the Hartford Courant. At the time of Murray’s retirement in 1988, Russell Gibson von Dohlen was considered to be in the top tier of architectural firms in the nation.

Murray also enjoyed raising and showing Morgan horses. He achieved notable success in the show ring, crowned by two national championships in 1991 with his beloved horse, Weatherwell Celsius. Murray shared many civic duties with his wife Nancy, including serving the New Hartford Historical Society, St. John’s Episcopal Church and the Beekley Public Library. He was proud to receive the lifetime service award from the Hartford Boys and Girls Club. He deeded 25 acres to the New Hartford Land Trust and served two terms on the New Hartford Planning and Zoning Commission.

He enjoyed working on his beautifully landscaped property, as well as golf, croquet, fishing, walking the beach and attending cultural events, always with his wife Nancy and often with his many children, grandchildren and friends.

In addition to his wife Nancy, Murray is survived by his first wife Gloria Howland, brother Thomas Gibson, and sister Margaret Gibson, son Robert Gibson and his wife Therese, son Garth Gibson and his wife Nora, daughter Laurie Lindberg and her husband Brian, daughter Lisa Gibson, daughter Amanda Gibson and her husband John Butler, daughter Lisa Marshall Favre and her husband Larry, son Jay Marshall, and daughter Sarah Marshall, as well as 15 grandchildren.

A Memorial service will be held on Saturday, September 3, 2011 at St. John’s Episcopal Church, Pine Meadow at 1 PM. Burial will follow in the memorial garden. Friends may call on Friday, September 2, 2011 at Montano-Shea Funeral Home, 5 Steele Road, New Hartford from 4 – 7 PM. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Murray’s name to: St. John’s Episcopal Church in New Hartford, the Mason Beekley Memorial Library in New Hartford or the Hartford Boys and Girls Club.

Visit the online guestbook at Montano-shea.com.

State House Square in downtown Hartford, one of the architectural projects of Murray Gibson's firm, Russell Gibson von Dohlen. Photo: Rotten777 on Photobucket image

Gampel Pavilion, UConn, Storrs, another architectural project by Murray Gibson's firm, Russell Gibson von Dohlen. Photo of painting by Mark Waitkus at waitkusstudios.myshopify.com