Sister Marie Murphy Op

Sister Marie Murphy, (Mary Finbar) Dominican Sister of Tacoma, died peacefully at St. Joseph Residence in Seattle on September 29, 2019. Sister Marie, a native of Currahy, Ballingeary, County Cork, Ireland, was born to William Murphy and Mary (O’Leary) Murphy on April 6, 1932.

Sister Marie received a BA in education from Central Washington University in Ellensburg in 1958. She received a master’s degree in Religious Education from Seattle University in 1978. She also studied theology at Dominican College in San Rafael, California. In 2000 she received the Seattle Archdiocesan Catechetical Leadership Award for her more than 40 years of ministry in faith formation.

Sister Marie was an elementary school educator, teaching in Washington and California until the mid-seventies.  In 1975, she ministered as a community organizer at St. George Parish in Seattle. In 1983 she returned to teaching but this time in the field of Religious Education, first in Port Angeles and then in Arlington. She also enjoyed a sabbatical from 1990-1992 traveling to Ireland and South Africa to visit relatives.

Sister Marie was noted for her winning smile, her love of singing especially Irish songs and dancing.  Even at St. Joseph Residence Marie could be found singing and dancing whenever the occasion allowed.

She is predeceased by her parents William and Mary, her siblings Dermot and Daniel. She is survived by her sisters Breda Hayes and Nuala Murphy and her brother, Brother Finbarr Murphy, a DeLaSalle Christian Brother

Services for Sister Marie Murphy will take place at St. Joseph Residence (4800 37th Ave SW, Seattle 98126) on October 16th with sharing of memories at 10:30 AM followed by Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00.  Burial will be at Calvary Cemetery in Tacoma at 3:00 PM on Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Memorial donations may be made to Sisters of St. Dominic of Tacoma, 935 Fawcett Ave., Tacoma WA 98402