Jean Williams  

Jean Williams Murphy Date of Death 11/30/2006

SOUTH BEND — Jean Williams Murphy, 90, residing in South Bend, passed away Thursday, Nov. 30, 2006 in her son’s home in Fairport, N.Y.

Born in Racine, Wis. on April 23, 1916, she was the daughter of Earle and Alvina (Kratochvil) Aber. They preceded her in death, also brothers, Earle, Jr., and his twin, Ernie, and sisters, Georgia and Margery.

Mrs. Murphy graduated from Oberlin College in 1937. She later attended John Herron Art School. On Feb. 14, 1948, she married Warner Williams. He died Aug. 3, 1982.

Spending most of her life in Culver, Mrs. Murphy was a substitute teacher in the Culver Community Schools for many years and was a calligrapher for the Culver Academies until her retirement in 1996.

A charter member of Culver’s Zoning Commissions, she was its first secretary. She also served as president of Culver Town Council from 1978-1982, and on Culver’s Economic Development Committee from 1983-1992. She was a founding member of the Marshall County Community Foundation and designed its logo. She served as Secretary-Treasurer of the Marshall County Council on Aging for four years.

Mrs. Murphy enjoyed memberships in the Maxinkuckee Players and the Culver Lions Club which named her “Woman of the Year” in 1986. She was a former member of Culver Wesley United Methodist Church.

In South Bend, she was a member of the Avalon Grotto Women’s Auxiliary, and served as its President in 2001. She is a member of Lakeville United Methodist Church.

On Dec. 4, 1993, she married Dale A. Murphy, Sr., of South Bend. He survives in addition to a daughter, Sylvia Williams of South Bend; sons: Earle R. Williams of Brookline, Mass., his wife, Kathleen; David R. Williams of Fairport, N.Y., his wife, Inger, and stepsons: Dale A. Murphy Jr., and his wife Judy of South Bend, and Wayne Murphy and his wife Linda of Lakeville. Also surviving are 10 grandchildren.

In 1999, Mrs. Murphy published a book called “Nursery Rhymes in Cutouts and Calligraphy”. In June, 2000, she was inducted into the Washington Park High School Hall of Fame in Racine, Wis.

Memorial services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 10, 2006 at Palmer Funeral Home- Guisinger Chapel, 3718 South Michigan St., South Bend. Rev. Larry Dimick, pastor of Lakeville United Methodist Church will officiate.

In accordance with Mrs. Murphy’s wishes, her body was donated to the University of Rochester School of Medicine.

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SOUTH BEND — Jean W. Murphy, 90, died on Nov. 30 at her son’s residence in Fairport, N.Y. She is survived by her husband, Dale A. Murphy of South Bend; daughter, Sylvia J. Williams of South Bend; sons: Earle R. (Kathleen) Williams of Brookline, Mass. and David R. (Inger) Williams of Fairport, N.Y.; stepsons: Dale (Judy) Murphy Jr. of South Bend and Wayne (Linda) Murphy of Lakeville.