Murphy, Mary Kay

Mary Kay Murphy, 86, of Cedar Rapids, died peacefully and surrounded by her loving children on Oct. 21, 2011, following an extended illness. At the time of her death Mary Kay was in the care of the compassionate staff of the Dennis and Donna Oldorf Hospice House of Mercy. Memorial services:  1 p.m. Tuesday at Cedar Memorial Park Chapel of Memories. Private family inurnment: Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery. Friends may call at Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Monday.

Mary Kathryn Murphy was born the second daughter of Galey and Lona Nelson on July 8, 1925, in Darlington, Wis. Her father, an executive with Ford Motor Co., was transferred often, and as a result, Mary Kay grew up in a variety of locations across the country, but spent the majority of her formative years in Des Moines. At the age of 6, she met the boy who later would become the love of her life, Bill Murphy. They maintained a very close friendship as they grew up, but were eventually separated. By the time they graduated from high school, Mary Kay was in Madison, Wis., and Bill was still in Des Moines. Shortly after his graduation, Bill went off to “win the war.” Two years later, Mary Kay's family had moved back to Des Moines. One evening, she and some friends decided to go down to the train station to greet returning soldiers from the war. Unexpectedly, off that train stepped a wounded Bill Murphy. It was a magic moment, and within weeks, they had become inseparable. And the rest, as they say, is history …

Mary Kay Nelson and Bill Murphy were married at dawn on the morning of Sept. 7, 1946. From that long lasting union, six children, 15 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren have been born. They include: W. Patrick, his wife, Becky Murphy, and their son, Brian Murphy; Thomas, and his daughters, Elizabeth Murphy Grimm (Rob Grimm), Katherine Murphy (Mark Rathe), Claire Murphy, and Caroline Murphy; Robert, his wife, Barbara Murphy, and their children, Travis Murphy, Charlie Murphy, Shane Murphy, Dakota Murphy, and Kelsey Murphy; Lona Murphy Sedlacek, her husband, Jim Sedlacek, and their daughters, Sarah Sedlacek (fiance Cullen Leapaldt) and Amanda Sedlacek; Kate Murphy, and her son, Beau Roberts; and Jay, his wife, Ann, and their sons, Drew Murphy and Quinn Murphy. Additionally, Mary Kay was blessed with three great-grandchildren, Max Grimm, Miles Grimm and Natalie Murphy Preister (with a baby brother on the way).

Additional survivors include her sister, Ruth Ann Smith and her husband, Bill, of Los Angeles, Calif.; her sister-in-law, Dixie Murphy of Longmont, Colo.; and many loving nieces and nephews.

Preceding Mary Kay in death were her parents, Galey and Lona; her husband of 50 years, Bill; her older sister, Pauline Brauer; her younger brother, John Nelson; her infant sister, Mary Virginia Nelson; and her brother-in-law Jack Murphy.

Mary Kay dedicated her entire life to creating and nurturing a loving family that today will live on as her legacy. We will honor her memory by treasuring what a true gift her example was to each of us. We can only hope to approach the level of unconditional love she showered on every member of her family, and every one who was close to her.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established in the name of The William J. and Mary Kay Murphy Family to benefit the Dennis and Donna Oldorf Hospice House of Mercy.

Please leave a message or tribute to the Murphy family on the Web page,    under Obituaries.

Published Oct. 23, 2011, in The Gazette