After more than a century of loving life, sunsets, any beach, travel, ice cream, a good martini, and particularly every single member of her extended family, Philomene “Phil” R. (Winchester) Murphy, formerly of Concord and Worcester, died peacefully on March 25, 2024, at the age of 101. She was the loving wife of the late David J. Murphy, Jr.
Phil was born on March 21, 1923, as the daughter of the late Walter and Ida (Granger) Winchester. She graduated from Worcester’s South High School in 1941. Then she grabbed her future and took advantage of a rare opportunity for a woman in the 1940s. She earned a college degree from Regis College in Weston, remaining active as a member of the alumni Class of 1945 for many years. She also later attended post-graduate courses at Holy Cross and Boston College.
She was extraordinarily kind and considerate and had an endless energy and excitement for everything life dishes that is new and different. And she helped teach her family how to deal with all the other not-so-fun stuff life dishes out too. She was the heart of the family for more than a century.
She took an entry-level job for the phone company and launched a career that would see her advance into management at New England Telephone Company. She retired in 1985 as an administrative manager after 38 years with the company.
Phil married David at age 51 and became a loving stepmom to four. While residing in Concord, she was an active volunteer for the Council on Aging, and a member of Holy Family Parish’s Circle of Friends.
She leaves behind her three stepchildren, Sheila Murphy, Brian Murphy and Liam Murphy, along with her nephew Charles Young and niece Elizabeth Casey and several other nieces and nephews. In addition to being the sister of the late Walter Winchester and Eileen Young, she was the stepmother of the late D. Sean Murphy.
Family and friends will gather for a period of visitation in St. Joseph Church, 142 Lincoln Road, Lincoln on Saturday, April 6 beginning at 10 a.m. Her Funeral Mass will follow at 11 a.m. Burial at St. John’s Cemetery in Worcester will be private at a later date.
Contributions in her memory may be made to Mass Citizens for Life. (www.masscitizensforlife.org).
Arrangements are entrusted to Dee Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Concord. For Phil’s online guestbook, visit www.DeeFuneralHome.com.
