Sr. Margaret Murphy, OSB, 1936-2023
Sister Margaret T. Murphy, OSB, 87, of St. Mary Monastery, Rock Island, IL, passed away Monday, March 6, 2023, at the Monastery.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m. Friday, March 10, 2023, in the Chapel of St. Mary Monastery, Rock Island. The Mass will be live streamed through the Benedictine Sisters of St. Mary Monastery Facebook page. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, Rock Island. Visitation will be 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, March 9, at the Monastery, with a Christian wake service at 7:00 p.m. Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Home and Crematory, Milan, IL, is assisting with arrangements. Memorials may be made to St. Mary Monastery, Rock Island.
Margaret Murphy was born January 24, 1936, in Carthage, IL, a daughter of Miles Murphy and Rose (McNally) Murphy. She entered the Benedictine Community on September 1, 1954. She made her profession as a Benedictine Sister on August 25, 1956.
Sister Margaret attended Young America School, Carthage, IL (Grade School), St. Mary’s Academy, Nauvoo, IL (High School), St. Ambrose University, Davenport, IA (BA in Education), University of Illinois (Master of Early Childhood Education), St. Norbert’s College, DePere, WI (Certificate in Theology) and Aquinas Institute of Theology, St. Louis, MO (Certificate in Spiritual Direction).
Sister Margaret’s ministry included: teaching early education at Catholic Grade Schools in Nauvoo, Monmouth, Peoria, Moline, Peoria Heights and Bloomington, Illinois. She taught and was Director of Neighborhood House, Peoria from 1993-1995. She Served on the Rock Island County Interracial Council and taught ELS to adults. Sister was a board member for the Rock Island County Emergency Welfare Information and Referral Agency. She served as a Religious Education Coordinator at St. Mary Monastery Rock Island, IL. She served in community Ministry as well as offered Spiritual Direction and taught Lectio Divina at Benet House Retreat Center.
She is survived by her Benedictine Sisters, sister-in-law, Jeania Murphy; nieces and nephews.
Sister Margaret was preceded in death by her parents; sisters and spouses, Sister Rosemary Murphy, OSB, Kathleen (Jack) O’Donnell , Mary Anne (Raymond) McHught , Patricia (John) Gaughan ; brothers and spouses, Myles (Irene) Murphy, Thomas Murphy; and a nephew, Jack O’Donnell, Jr.