Catherine T. Murphy

Catherine Teresa Murphy passed away on August 25, 2016. Catherine was born in Washington D.C. on September 20, 1926, ninth of eleven children of Irish-born parents, John and Mary Ellen Murphy. She was raised in St. Joseph’s Catholic parish on Capitol Hill, graduated from Immaculate Conception high school and attended George Washington University majoring in Russian. In her childhood years, Washington DC was just a small town, where she and her siblings would play on the U.S. Capitol steps, ride the street cars, play in Stanton Park and a huge treat would be to go to Glen Echo Amusement Park. Not only did she love playing sports but was a big sports fan. She loved the extended family and kept close in touch with the Irish relatives. She loved to travel and loved the beach. Our Aunt started the practice that if there was a torrential thunderstorm occurring or hurricane threat while at the beach, that was when it was time to go out and get fudge first. She was fiercely independent, but also generous. She worked for the Letter Carrier Union before transferring and eventually retiring from the U.S. Government. She was a member of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Arlington, Virginia. She leaves behind two sisters, Sara McMahon and Rosemary Zugel, numerous nieces, nephews, great and great, great nieces and nephews and Irish relatives abroad. A funeral mass will be held at 10AM on Friday, September 9, 2016 at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, 830 23rd St. S., Arlington, VA. Interment will follow at Mt. Olivet in Washington, DC. In lieu of flowers, the family wishes for donations to be made to Capital Caring, 4715 N. 15th St., Arlington, VA 22205.