Rosemary Kearns Murphy, 84, passed peacefully on Aug. 2, 2016 while briefly residing in Atlanta.
Rosemary Murphy, 84, passed away Tuesday, Aug. 2.
A longtime resident of Darien, Rosemary was born in Stamford, to James and Mary Kearns and attended Sacred Heart Academy. While living in Rochester, N.Y., Pittsburgh, Atlanta and Chicago, Rosemary always wanted to return to her beloved Connecticut and the water.
Residing in Darien and then Stamford, Rosemary and George wintered in Litchfield by the Sea, S.C. for many years. Her love for travel, the beach and her family and friends was evident to all who knew her.
Rosemary was an avid bridge player, appeared on the game show Jeopardy, loved to bowl and attend PGA tournaments with George. She was a proud member of Mensa and her children and grandchildren will always remember her words “Look it up in the dictionary and then remember it.” Her daily passion was doing the New York Times crossword puzzle with a pen.
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— an obituary from Leo P. Gallagher & Son Funeral Home
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She was predeceased by her beloved husband of 56 years, George; her sister Anne (Parkhurst) and her brother William.
She is survived by her brother James (Alma) and her children Ellen, Kevin (Molly), Sharon (Mike), Lauren (Russell) and Stephen (Jill) and her grandchildren Mitchell and Samuel Weber, Sean (Cori), Ryan and Jack Murphy, Kristen (Rob) Conrad, Thomas Vet and Kilen and Keely Murphy and her first great-grandchild George McGoogan Murphy.
Although her children were in Stamford, St. Louis, Grand Rapids, Mich., Atlanta and Vancouver, Wash., Rosemary and George traveled frequently to visit, celebrate milestones and share their love and wisdom.
Whether having family visit her in Stamford or in Litchfield by the Sea, Rosemary always was there for each of her grandchildren. To her extended family and circle of friends, she was known as “Mom,” “Rosemary,” “Aunt Roe” and especially “Grammy.” In later years, she courageously faced the impact of Alzheimer’s with dignity and courage and is now at peace.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in her memoryto the Alzheimer’s Foundation, 322 Eighth Ave., 7th Floor, New York, NY 10001 (or call 1-866-232-8484 to make a credit card donation) to help those who are stricken with this insidious disease.
A Memorial Mass celebrating Rosemary will be held on Saturday, October 8, 2016 at 10 a.m. at Saint Maurice Catholic Church, Glenbrook, for family and friends. On behalf of Rosemary, her family would like to thank all who knew and loved her.