Former City Councilor Frederick Murtagh died last Tuesday at the age of 91. Murtagh served on the Council for 30 years over a 40-year span.
He was the husband of the late Patricia “Pat” A. (Levesque) Murtagh. They married in 1962 and had four children together: Daniel, Sharon, Kevin, and Gary. He was predeceased by his brothers, Mike and John, and his sister, Mary.
Murtagh was a devoted husband and father and “together (he and his wife) raised a family of which they were immensely proud, not just for their successes but for the good-hearted individuals they became. Fred’s pride extended to his thirteen grandchildren, and his new great grandson. He cherished every moment spent with them,” according to his obituary.
Murtagh attended St. John’s Prep in Danvers before attending Boston College’s Night School, from which he graduated in 1956. Murtagh also worked for the Boston Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and joined the National Guard. He would go on to attend Fort Sill Officer Candidate School in Oklahoma and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in 1956.
After leaving the FBI in 1956, he established Murtagh Insurance Agency with his brother in Peabody Square. After selling the agency, he became the business manager at Essex Aggie, serving for 40 years and retiring as treasurer in 2014.
Murtagh was elected to the Peabody City Council in 1962 and retired from his position in 2007. In 2013, he was appointed to the Peabody Liquor Commission by Mayor Ted Bettencourt, where he was eventually appointed chairman. He served in the position until his death.
Murtagh served under five mayors during his tenures: Ed Meaney, Nick Mavroules, Peter Torigian, Michael Bonfanti, and Bettencourt. He also served under interim Mayor Paul Barrett.
