Katherine "Kitty" Murphy

Katherine “Kitty” Murphy, beloved mother and great grandmother, passed away Nov. 1, 2022 after 99 years, 13 days of wonderful living. Mom had a long and wonderful life, living through the depression, WWII, the rise and fall of communism, 17 presidents and many more historical events. The great blessing for mom was that she retained her memory and lucidity to the very end. Her ability to remember people, places and things, in detail, from her childhood until her last couple of days was amazing.

Mom was born in Fayette, North Dakota, to German-Russian immigrants Anton and Magdalena (Berger) Kary on Oct. 19, 1923. She was the youngest of 11 children who survived infancy, having eight sisters and two brothers. She was raised on the family homestead and received an 8th grade education, finishing in 1932. During WWII she lived with her mother in Dickinson, North Dakota, caring for her, working at JC Penny’s and volunteering at the hospital. Many years later, she found out she could be called a “Rosie the Riveter” because she worked in a traditionally male held a job.

In early 1946, she sold some clothes to a recently discharged GI and a couple of weeks later a friend fixed her up with a blind date who turned out to be this GI, our dad, John Murphy. They married in 1947. Two children were born in North Dakota and in 1951, moved to Oregon and in 1952, to Sutherlin. She had six children, Karen, John (Kathy), Michele (deceased) (Ed), Denise (deceased), Kevin, Colin (Julia), 10 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren, also foreign exchange student son Alberto Severi and many special sons and daughters who always called her mom.

Mom always tried to be involved in something. She volunteered in the schools, attended athletic events and band concerts, volunteered for the school budget committee, financially supported the booster club and provided a scholarship for several years. She also was in the Jaycettes in the 1950s and 60s and worked long hours for the Timber Days celebration, and was with the original group of Catholics who got St. Francis Xavier Church established in Sutherlin.

In 1964, dad was diagnosed with a serious illness so she returned to get her GED and subsequently got her LPN nursing license, finishing her nursing career at the VA hospital in 1988. She and dad then traveled extensively to Ireland and Europe, the Caribbean and Mexico. After dad passed, she went to Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti, Hawaii, South America, back to Europe and her highlight trip, to her parent’s homeland, seeing the house her father was born in Landau, Ukraine.

In 2016, she moved to Oak Park Assisted Living. The family would like to thank the numerous staff that provided assistance and care for mom over the years, especially the last six months, also, thank you to Mercy Hospice who provided care for the last six months.

Wilson’s Chapel of the Roses is in charge of arrangements and services will be held at St. Francis Xavier in Sutherlin on Friday, Nov. 11. Rosary at 11:30 a.m. with services at 12 p.m.