June M. Murphy, along time resident of Needhan and North Falmouth, died at home in Needham on October 19 after a long illness. She was 86. For many years she was a real estate broker in office of R.D. Burnham Realtors on Great Plain Avenue Needham
Born in Sydney, Australia, she was the daughter of Harry LeVette and Ida (Bligh) LeVette. She was schooled in voice and theatre and participated in many productions, including operettas by Gilbert and Sullivan, until World War II erupted. She became a member of the Australian Women’s Army Corps attaining the rank of lieutenant. It was while she was stationed at Amberly Field in Brisbane that she met Vincent J. Murphy, Jr., a captain in the U.S. Army Air Corps. After the surrender of the Japanese in 1945, Captain Murphy was ordered back to the United States, but returned in 1947 to marry Ms. LeVette. Their honeymoon consisted of a trip back to the United States by slow steamer with calls at Tahiti and Hawaii. They settled in Los Angeles for several years before returning to Mr. Murphy’s native New Jersey where he studied and began the practice of law.
All the while, Mrs. Murphy was attending to her burgeoning family. Her first son, Dalton, was born in 1948 and her last daughter in 1960. In 1965, she embarked upon a career in real estate sales obtaining her broker’s license and a desk at the long established office of R.D. Burnham. She retired from a successful career in 1983.
Upon arriving in Needham in 1958, Mrs. Murphy became engaged in local amateur theatre productions. She and her husband later became a large impetus in the Needham Community Theatre where Mr. Murphy produced ten Broadway musicals and Mrs. Murphy starred in several leading roles. Her sonorous and powerful voice, accomplished acting skills and lingering Australian accent lent an extraordinary dimension to that high quality amateur troupe. The Murphy’s were also charter members of the Needham Pool & Racquet Club.
In her retirement, she enjoyed the atmosphere of Buzzard’s Bay at her home in North Falmouth with Vincent until his death in 1995. For a time they spent their winters in Florida. Thereafter, subsequent visits from family and friends were a source of delight, particularly the devoted attention of her daughter Lisa and the support of her son, Dalton.
She leaves all six of her children, Dalton L. and Lisa L. Ennis of Needham, Dennis R. of Dedham, Craig D. of Northborough, Diane M. Sullivan of Hull and Kevin S. of Windemere, Fla. and thirteen grand children. One grandchild, Timothy F. Sullivan, III, pre-deceased her.
Funeral from the Eaton Funeral Home 1351 Highland Ave. Needham
on Wednesday October 24th at 9:00 AM followed by a Mass of Christian Burial in St. Joseph Church at 10:00AM. Relatives and friends are kindly invited. Visiting Hours Tuesday from 4-8 PM. Interment will take at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Needham. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society 30 Speen St. Framingham MA 01701.