NATICK- Mary M. Murphy, age 94, died peacefully on Tuesday, October 25, 2016. Born in Whitman to Talmage and Lena (Thibodeau) Tirrell, she was valedictorian of the Whitman High School Class of 1940. She attended Boston University, graduating with a degree in journalism. During WW II she worked for General Electric throughout New England and New York. She married the late Thomas F. Murphy, Jr. in 1950 in Boston. While living in Boston they co-owned the Kelton Company and worked with the new startup Tupperware Company. They settled in Natick to raise their two daughters, Susan Cornoni of Medway and Patricia Murphy of West Springfield, MA. During this time Mary worked as a journalist for the Patriot Ledger and Natick Bulletin before commencing a second career as a research analyst with the US Army Natick Research Labs Quartermaster, retiring in 1980.
Following the death of her husband in 1974, she returned to school, while working, graduated from University of Northern Iowa with a degree in English and then pursued her interest in oil painting. Mary lived in Natick for fifty years before residing in Medway the last twelve years of her life due to a car accident. She will be remembered as a caring mother, wife, partner, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend, often ahead of her time, who experienced a century of history while encouraging all to pursue their passions and dreams.
In addition to her parents and husband, she was predeceased by her sister Adelaide Green, brothers Albert and Talmage Tirrell, and brother-in-law Robert Murphy. In addition to her daughters, she is survived by her son-in-law Alan Cornoni, grandson Michael Cornoni and his wife Julie of Norwood, granddaughter Jillian Cornoni of Rockledge, FL, brother Ralph Tirrell and his family of Boothbay, Maine, nephews Robert, Paul and Scott Tirrell and their families of Plymouth and nieces and nephews across the county.
Her funeral will be held in the John Everett & Sons Funeral Home, 4 Park Street at Natick Common on Thursday, October 27th at 11:30AM. Relatives and friends may visit with Mary’s family beginning at 10:30AM. Burial will follow at Saint Patrick Cemetery.