Mary Jean Murphy

Mary was born to the late Muriel and Karl Dickerson in Healdsburg, California on February 7, 1936. Her family moved to Stockton when she was very young. She graduated from Stockton High School and the Maude Cornwall Business College. She married the late George Murphy in 1957. They made their home in Stockton.

Mary was a day care provider for over 30 years. It was not unusual for one of her grown babysitting kids to knock on her door to say hello to their “Aunt Mary”. Mary maintained a deep and abiding friendship with what her family dubbed “the card-playing” ladies. Since 1967, the group (Lavone Albritton, Gin Colatriano, her sister Dianne Cookston, and the late Margaret Santella and Carol Wright) met every Tuesday night to play cards and visit. They went to South Lake Tahoe once a year for a girl’s weekend.

Mary is survived by her four daughters, Jeanne Gaea (Paulo), Julie DeValle (Paul), Dr. Melissa Murray (Michael), Dianne Plunk and the “daughter of her heart” Mickey Adams. She is also survived by her brother Donald Dickerson and her sisters Dianne Cookston and Kay Scheu (Karl). Mary is also survived by nine grandchildren, ten great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that donations be made to charity. Some suggested charities are The American Cancer Society, Saint Mary’s Dining Hall or The Northern California Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

A Memorial Mass to celebrate Mary’s life will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, October 7, 2014 at the Cathedral of the Annunciation, 425 W. Magnolia St. A private interment will be held at a later date. To sign the guest book, please visit www.deyoungchapels.com