Shirley Ann (Townsend) Murphy

Shirley Ann Murphy, 83, of North Vernon, passed away at 6:10 a.m. on Wednesday, November 11, 2020 at St. Vincent Jennings Hospital in North Vernon.

Born December 25, 1936, in Athens County, Ohio, she was the daughter of the late Robert and Genevieve (Dowler) Townsend. She married her first husband, Paul Smith, on April 15, 1956; he preceded her in death December of 1962. She married her second husband, Dwight Caldon Murphy, on December 20, 1968, at the Graham Baptist Church in Jennings County; he preceded her in death on December 7, 2017.

Shirley was a 1954 graduate of Wendell Wilkie High School in Elwood and retired after 47 years in 2004 from Jennings County Schools, where she worked as a secretary. She was a member of Graham Baptist Church, where she was the church musician for over 60 years and a 55-year member of North Vernon Chapter #183, Order of the Eastern Star, where she was the current organist and a Past Matron. Shirley loved spending time with her family and enjoyed music, reading, traveling, crocheting, and being with her Graham Baptist family.

Surviving are her son, Timothy (Bethany) Murphy of North Vernon; her daughter, Paula (Willard) Gerth of North Vernon; brother, George (Fran) Townsend of Jackson, Tennessee; sisters, Adrienne Tishner of Goldsmith and Julia Miller of Alexandria; grandchildren, Shana (Andy) Huffman, Victoria (Brad) Dobbs, Gabriel (Shelby) Gerth, Rebekah (Ryan) Miller, Michael (Dustie) Gerth, Kameron Murphy and Kaleb Murphy, all of North Vernon, Erin Manno of Canton, Michigan, Sara (John) Thomas of Butlerville, Kaylee Murphy of Avon and Codie (Tyler) Thompson of Hayden; and 14 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husbands; son, Michael Murphy; daughter, Nahoma Smith Brewer; brothers, Ted, Robert, Donald and Joe Townsend; and sisters, Nettie Baldwin and Kay Smith.

A funeral service will be conducted at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 14, 2020, at the Graham Baptist Church in Jennings County with the Rev. Dale Boyd officiating. Family and friends may call at the Dove-Sharp & Rudicel Funeral Home on Friday, November 13, 2020, from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. and one hour prior to the service on Saturday at the church. Order of the Eastern Star Memorial Service will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Friday by members of North Vernon Chapter #183. Burial will be in the Graham Baptist Cemetery.

Memorials may be made through the funeral home in honor of Shirley to the Graham Baptist Church, Neuroblastoma Foundation, National Kidney Foundation, or Leukemia Society.

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