Lorna Murphy

Lorna Diane Murphy

1932 - 2021

Share Your Memory of
Lorna

Obituary of Lorna Diane Murphy

Lorna Murphy was a caring wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister and friend who lost her battle with cancer on April 29th, 2021 at the age of 88.

She was born in 1932 to Edna and Edward Richard in Tacoma, WA and was the eldest of 6.

She graduated in 1952 from Lincoln High School in Tacoma. She married a Marine soon after which gave her the opportunity to travel to places such as Japan, Hawaii, Virginia and California. She taught Sunday school in San Diego. She's a member of the Swedenborg church and her religion was a very important part of her life.

She returned to Tacoma and went on to work at Western State Hospital where she met the true love of her life, Winford Murphy. They were married June 25th, 1978. She worked at Western State Hospital till she retired in 1997.

Lorna was an artist and did a mural in high school that was displayed in down town Tacoma. Her talent for art took her from drawing and painting to the thing she loved most, making porcelain and cloth dolls. She was a marvelous seamstress which gave her the ability to also make their clothes. She restored old dolls and collected many for herself to add to the ones she still had from her childhood.

She always faced things head on by jumping in with both feet no matter what the situation or how difficult the task. She cherished each day by living it to the fullest. She didn't know the meaning of slowing down even in her 80's.

She loved her family and was the corner stone that kept them together after her parents passed away. All the holidays and gatherings happened at her home. She was caring, giving, generous and a joy to her family.

She will be greatly missed by family who survive her, including her children, Colleen (Bean) Dasilva, Laurel (Bambi) Harris, Tom and Ronnie Usher, 12 grandchildren and 22 great grandchildren and her brothers John, (Carol) Ron, (Vikki) Lloyd, (Trudy) David (Lori) and sister Janet Garcia (James - in Heaven).

Her husband, Winford, her parents, Edna and Edward, and her grandson Robert, proceeded her in death.

She will never be far from her family whenever a story is told, her laughter is remembered or the memory of a special Thanksgiving or Christmas comes to mind. She lives on in those who love her.

A memorial service will be held at her home in Lakewood at 7028 Cherry Lane S.W. on Saturday May 15th at 3:00 p.m.