Lois Madelin Murphy

Lois was born at Boston City Hospital on March 19, 1933. Twenty-one years later she would graduate from the hospital’s Nursing School as a registered nurse. Lois grew up in Jamaica Plain, the daughter of Miles Vincent Murphy and Margaret Casey Murphy.

Lois graduated from Boston College with a B.S. in Nursing and an M.S. in Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing. Her first nursing job was at Boston City hospital as a neuro-surgical operating room nurse, and later as a private duty member of the intensive care team. She was a Supervisor and Clinical Specialist at Boston State Hospital. She later became Director of Nursing at Corrigan Mental Health Center in Fall River, and then Director of Nursing for Health and Ambulatory Care at Boston City Hospital. She was Director of Nursing at the Faulkner Hospital in Jamaica Plain, and then Director of Nursing at New Hampshire Hospital in Concord, N.H. For three years, she was the Executive Director of the New Hampshire Nurses’ Association. She became a Staff Training Specialist at Metropolitan State Hospital in Waltham, MA and also a consultant in private practice.

Lois is survived by her brother Robert of Norwell and his children: Monica and Michelle of Norwell and Michael of Boston; the children of her late brother John: Janet of Yarmouth, Brian of Milton, Alicia of Winchester, and Juliann of Burgaw, N.C.; the children of her late brother Miles: Christopher of Truro and Douglas of Chula Vista, CA; and many great and great-grand nieces and nephews. She was pre-deceased by her long-time friend Deborah Sullivan.

As the granddaughter of a Boston Fire Inspector, the daughter of a Boston Fire District Fire Chief, and the sister of a Superintendent of Boston Fire Alarm, Lois came by her love of Dalmatians naturally. She was devoted to her beloved Dalmatian Emily.

Lois loved gallivanting, golfing, and gardening. You were truly lucky if you received a jar of her special homemade pickles. She enjoyed going to the Symphony, listening to the opera broadcasts, and trips to the Playhouse. Lois had a quick wit, a ready smile, and a love of fun that will be sorely missed.

A gathering in Lois’ memory will be held on Saturday, July 15, 2017 at 11:00 at the Doane, Beal, and Ames Funeral Home in Dennis, MA. And so, dear hearts, we can be sure that wherever Lois’ spirit is, she is surely “bordering on the magnificent.”