Norma Kay Murphy

Norma was born in Fargo. North Dakota on May 24, 1932, to L. Howard and Catherine Schill. Norma spent most of her childhood in Jackson Heights, NY. She attended St. Joan of Arc Elementary School in Jackson Heights, NY and graduated high school from Dominican Academy in Manhattan, NY. Norma received her Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in Art from Dunbarton College of the Holy Cross in Washington, DC in 1954. She subsequently attended Long Island University taking Elementary Education courses and obtained her teaching license. She taught Kindergarten in Long Island, NY; Bethesda, MD; Cape Elizabeth, ME and Ft. Devens, MA. She received her Master of Science (MS) degree in Communication from Fitchburg State University, Fitchburg, MA and went on to become the Public Affairs Officer at Ft. Devens Intelligence School in Ayer, MA.

Norma met her husband, John (Jack) D. Murphy, while at college in Washington. They wed in 1957. They resided in Portland, ME, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Riverdale, NY, Chelmsford, MA and eventually settled in Leominster, MA where they lovingly raised four children. They enjoyed spending summers at Goose Rocks Beach in Kennebunkport, Maine, and alpine skiing all over New England in the winter. Norma was an active member of Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church in Leominster, MA. She continued to enjoy painting, preferred oil on canvas and was an enthusiastic member of the Fitchburg Art Museum. Norma moved back to the Washington, DC area in 2013 and then into the Vinson Hall Retirement Community, McLean, VA, in 2017. She enjoyed being an avid Bridge player, continuing with her artwork in the Art Studio and won several ribbons for her paintings. She enjoyed living at Vinson Hall and made friends with many of the wonderful, caring people around her.

Norma is survived by her four children, their spouses and two grandchildren: Ann (Murphy) and Robert Sanders of Kennebunkport, Maine and grandson Rob Sanders of Newry, Maine; Maureen (Murphy) and Tom Vieira of Arlington, Virginia; John D. Murphy Jr. and Carlee Mashak of Salt Lake City, Utah, and Kathleen (Murphy) and Brian Cournoyer and daughter Erin Grace Murphy, OD of Poland Spring, Maine.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Wednesday, August 6, 2025, at 10:30 AM at St. Ann Roman Catholic Church, 5300 North 10th Street, Arlington Virginia, 22205. Interment will be on Tuesday August 12, 2025, at 11:00 AM, at St. Bernard Catholic Cemetery in Fitchburg, MA.

Sincere thanks to all the staff at Vinson Hall, Arleigh Burke Pavilion and Heartland Hospice for their loving care and support.