Louise Murphy Terwilliger

Louise was born in Boston, Massachusetts, the daughter of Grace (MacDonald) Murphy and Timothy Murphy. She was the middle of five children. She lived there until her early 20’s when she completed her nursing studies. Louise enlisted in the US Naval Reserve in August 1940. She then began her military service as a Registered Nurse in 1941. She served at several naval hospital locations stateside and was then stationed at the Pearl Harbor Naval Base hospital from late 1944 through 1946. It was there that Louise met her husband-to-be, naval officer Richard Terwilliger, and later married in 1947. As their family grew to include four children, the family was stationed in Alaska, England, Florida, Virginia, Iran and then again in Virginia.

In 1962, Falls Church, Virginia became their permanent home, and Saint James Catholic Church their cherished parish. Louise returned to nursing part-time in the late 1960’s and the 1970’s, working as a Registered Nurse at nearby Fairfax Hospital. She also very much enjoyed gardening, quilting and seniors exercise classes.

She is preceded in death by her husband, and is survived by her children, Jeanne (Terwilliger) Holmberg, Patrick Terwilliger, Michael Terwilliger, Claire (Terwilliger) Newman, seven grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.