South Deerfield, MA – Jennifer Read of South Deerfield, beloved wife and mother, died peacefully on April 21, 2024 at the age of 79 after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s disease.  

Jennifer was born on January 1, 1945 at Brooklyn Naval Hospital in New York City, while her physician father was a U.S. Naval Officer serving in the Pacific theater in World War II. After the war, her late parents, Dr. and Mrs. David John McMurray, settled in Columbia, SC, where Dr. McMurray practiced medicine for many years.

Jennifer graduated from Emery University in Atlanta, GA and received an MA degree in European literature from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville.

Jennifer worked as a journalist in Washington, DC during the Nixon administration, covering the White House and federal agencies. She was one of a very few women in that era who held a White House press pass. She was also one of the first female members of the National Press Club in Washington.

During the Ford administration, Jennifer worked as a public affairs officer at two federal agencies. Initially she worked at the Cost of Living Council with the late James Brady (who would be tragically wounded in the attempted assassination of President Reagan). She next worked as a special assistant to James T. Lynn, who was Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.

While Jennifer was working in Washington, she met her husband, Attorney Frederick (Rick) Read, who was a federal prosecutor with the Department of Justice. They were married in Rockville, MD on January 4, 1974. The couple celebrated their 50^th wedding anniversary earlier this year.

When Rick took a corporate job with Union Pacific Railroad in Nebraska in 1980, the couple moved to Omaha. Jennifer devoted herself to raising their son Matthew. She also immersed herself in the arts. She served on the board of American Midwest Ballet, coordinated fundraisers for the Omaha Symphony, and hosted visiting performers for Opera Omaha.

The family moved to Western Massachusetts in 1989, when Rick began practicing law in Greenfield. Jennifer developed an interest in the care of the elderly and became a licensed social worker serving that population. She had a true gift for bringing joy to those in the later stages of life.

With her warm, compassionate spirit and sweet smile, Jennifer will be deeply missed by all who knew her.

Jennifer is survived by her husband Rick Read and son Matthew Read, both of South Deerfield, as well as by her siblings: Abigail Golde of Saxtons River, VT; David McMurray of Greenville, SC; George McMurray of Chapin, SC; and Martha Stoney of Mount Pleasant, SC.  

A Memorial Service will be held Tuesday, May 14, 2024, at 11 AM at Grace Episcopal Church in Amherst.

Memorial guestbook at www.douglassfuneral.com