Mrs. Rita C. (Piche) Murphy, of Taunton, died Tuesday, May 22 in Sturdy Memorial Hospital, Attleboro, following a lengthy illness. She was the beloved wife of the late Leo F. Murphy. She was born 89 years ago in New Bedford, the daughter of the late Armand A. and Antonia A. (Lemieux) Piche. She was educated in Pawtucket, R.I. and Taunton, having graduated from the former St. Mary’s High School, and had been a Taunton resident for most of her life. Prior to her retirement, she had been employed as a Service Representative for A.T. & T. for 15 years. She was previously employed as a teacher at the former St. Jacques Grammar School in Taunton for 4 years. She was also employed at Swank, Inc. of Attleboro for a number of years, as well as at Eureka Manufacturing in Norton. Rita was a member and Past President of the Sodalite des Dames de Ste. Anne, and was member of Les Enfants de Marie, and L’Union St. Jean Baptiste, Conseil No. 53. She was also a Group Leader for the Girl Scouts of America, participating in many local and national events. She was a Past President of the Stonehill College Womens Guild, and was awarded the Marian Medal for her participation in many parish activities at the former St. Jacques Parish in Taunton. Rita enjoyed volunteering, crafts and needlework. She was a communicant of St. Jude the Apostle Parish in Taunton.
She leaves: 2 daughters: Collette Anne Murphy of Stuart, Fla., and Bernadette Milot and her husband, Edmund of Taunton; 2 sisters: Beatrice E. Piche of Taunton and Sister Bernadette, SUSC, of the Holy Union Sisters, Fall River; 2 granddaughters: Emily Milot Lamarche and her husband, Michael of Alexandria, Va., and Rebecca Milot of Hamden, Ct., and several nieces and nephews. Rita was also the sister of the late Roland Piche of Stoughton and Jeannette Carney of Taunton.
Funeral services will be held from The Riendeau-Mulvey Funeral Home, 467 Bay Street, on Saturday, May 26 at 10:00 A.M. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow in St. Jude the Apostle Church at 11:00 A.M. Interment will be in St. Joseph Cemetery. Relatives and friends are invited to attend. Visiting Hours will be held on Friday, from 5:00 to 8:00 P.M. Expressions of sympathy in her memory may be made to St. Jude’s Childrens Research Hospital, P.O. Box 1000, Dept. 142, Memphis, Tn., 38148-0142, or to the Alzheimer’s Association, 1 Kendall Sq., Bldg. 200, Cambridge, Ma., 02139-1562.