Mary Louise Murphy, 100, Sartell

November 1, 1916 - November 5, 2016

Visitation will begin at 9 AM November 10th, 2016 at the Country Manor Chapel in Sartell, Minnesota, with the Mass of Christian Burial to follow at 10 AM.

Mary Louise Murphy of Sartell, Minnesota, died November 5th, 2016 at the age of 100 years and four days. Mary was born in Michigan, North Dakota on November 1st, 1916. There, she grew up on the family farm, and while still in her teens taught country school in rural North Dakota. She later attended Minot State Teacher’s College.

She married Frank J. Murphy of Minot, North Dakota on May 16th, 1941 in Michigan, North Dakota. Mary and Frank began their family in Morris, Minnesota, later moving to St. Cloud Minnesota in 1963. Together they raised six children: Merrily (Rick) Cromwell, Prescott, AZ, Kathleen (Ron) McCombs, Spring Lake Park, MN, Angela (Cy) Rubald, Naperville, IL, Molly (Dave) Renslow, Sartell, MN, Matthew (Bobbi) Murphy, St. Cloud, MN, Elizabeth (Doug) Sea, Sioux Falls, SD.

Mary worked for many years in retail sales at Herberger’s and Vogue in St. Cloud. She was a faithful member of St. Francis Xavier Church in Sartell, Minnesota, where she volunteered teaching religious education. Mary was a lifelong learner and was always engaged in family, local, and world affairs. She persisted in growing, learning, educating, and travelling. Thus, the Sartell Jaycees honored Mary with an Outstanding Citizen award in 1983. She continued to be active in the community by spending much of her time at the Whitney Senior Center where she participated in humanities classes, started the drama club, and performed in many plays.

She was the happiest while playing piano with her grandchildren, baking apple pies and sheet cake brownies, and simply being surrounded by family. Mary’s children and grandchildren heard many stories of her growing up on the farm during the Great Depression. Mary could paint, sew, and upholster nearly anything. She learned to swim in her sixties, and absolutely loved to dance to “Bad, Bad, Leroy Brown”. She found joy in birds, plants, reading, bridge, and prayer. Two of her favorite words were “persistence” and “perseverance.”.

In her later years, she taught us all to be present in the moment, and to live in the now. She will be dearly missed.

Among those she loved were her children, fourteen grandchildren, thirteen great grandchildren, and one great-great grandchild. Surviving Mary also are sisters-in-law Grace Fisher (Minot, ND) and Mitzi Rohen (Lake Oswego, OR) as well as many nieces and nephews.

Gone before Mary are her husband Frank, her parents, Lawrence and Marion Albertine (Behme) Schieffert, four brothers, two sisters, sons-in-law David K. Renslow and Ronald L. McCombs.

Memorials may be sent in Mary’s honor to Whitney Senior Center (1527 Northway Dr, St Cloud, MN 56303).