Justine P. (Powers) Murphy, 88, died peacefully Saturday October 22nd at the Heritage Nursing Home in Lowell. She was the beloved wife of Edmund D. Murphy Jr., former Dracut High School Football Coach. They were married July 20, 1946 and shared 65 years of marriage together.
Born in Lawrence, Justine was the daughter of Sara (Cutty North) and Frederick S. Powers Sr. She attended St. Mary’s High School in Lawrence and graduated from Methuen High School class of 1940. In 1944, Justine graduated from Symmes Training School in Arlington, as a Registered Nurse. Upon graduation she worked at the West Roxbury Veterans Hospital where she helped care for the wounded soldiers during WWII.
Mrs. Murphy’s greatest job however was caring for and raising her 4 boys. She was a dedicated and loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother and always put her family first. She supported her family through everything and never missed a football game.
Years later, Mrs. Murphy volunteered at St. Patrick’s Home in Lowell and also worked as a nurse for the Dracut School System. In her spare time, Justine enjoyed painting landscapes and portraits and even had the privilege of painting portraits for the College of the Holy Cross Hall of Fame. She also enjoyed dancing, gardening, sailing and spending time at Cape Cod with her family. She will be deeply missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing her.
Along with her husband of 65 years, Edmund, Justine is survived and will be deeply missed by her sons, Edmund Dennis Murphy III, the husband of the late Norma Lee (Murphy) of Tyngsboro, Daniel J. Murphy and his wife Mary Anne of Dracut, David M. and his wife Gail Marie of Southborough, daughter in-law Kathleen Murphy of North Chelmsford, her seven beloved grandchildren, Lauren Akashian and her husband Brian, Ryan, Devon, Keith, Jillian, Griffin and Dylan Murphy, and her two great-grandchildren, Ned and Madeline Akashian. She is also survived by her siblings, Helen Morris, Dolores Hewett and Frederick S. Powers Jr. and his wife Anne, her sister-in-law, Margaret “Peggy” Murphy, and many nieces and nephews. She was pre-deceased by her sisters, Claire Scanlon and Miriam Dolan, her son, Brian S. Murphy who died in 2002 and her grandson, Niall Murphy who died on February 16th, 2011.
MURPHY — Relatives and friends are invited to pay their respects on Wednesday from 3-7 p.m. at the DRACUT FUNERAL HOME, 2159 Lakeview Ave., Dracut, MA. Her Funeral will take place on Thursday morning at 9:30 a.m. from the funeral home followed by her Funeral Mass 11 a.m. at St. Roberts Bellarmine Parish in Andover with burial to follow at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Tewksbury. As an expression of sympathy those who wish may make donations in Justine’s name to the Alzheimer’s Association , 311 Arsenal Street, Watertown, MA 02472. For directions and to leave an online condolence, story or message please visit www.dracutfuneralhome.com.
(Obituary courtesy of Dracut Funeral Home)
