Ruby Murphy

Ruby B. Murphy, 86, died Sept. 17, 2010 at her home in Willow.

A memorial service to celebrate her life will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at the First Baptist Church in Willow. A service in Texas is planned at the Chinquapin Missionary Baptist Church in San Augustine at a later date. Her cremated remains will be inurned beside those of her husband at the Transport Cemetery in Dodson, La.

Ruby Blanche Birdwell was born Oct. 23, 1923 in San Augustine, Texas, the daughter of Enlow and Florence (Hardy) Birdwell. She received her education in San Augustine and began living in Skagway in 1952. In 1964, she and her husband, Bill, began living in Alaska on a full-time basis.

The family lovingly wrote: "Ruby, Mamma, Mema, Habba, Miss Ruby or Mrs. Murphy: no matter what name people had for her, anyone who ever met Ruby Murphy never forgot her."

Her adventurous, industrious character was evident in her experience homesteading on the Kashwitna River in the mid to late 1960s. While her husband, Bill, worked in Anchorage during the week, Ruby lived on the homestead, shooing away the moose from her garden and chasing away the bears from her fish. After moving into their larger log home in 1973, Ruby and Bill welcomed literally hundreds of visitors; from family and friends to fellow Al-Can Highway travelers they met during their many trips "Outside", to scores of church missionaries working on church building projects in Alaska.

Ruby never forgot her life tussling with her eight brothers and sisters on the farm in San Augustine, Texas, during the Great Depression and although she was homesteading on a wild river in Alaska, she always referred to San Augustine as "down home".

A pioneering fixture in the Willow community during her 46 years in the area, her engaging personality, love for people and incredible energy endured to the very end. Ruby always showed determination and an independent spirit. The feisty redhead went to be with the Lord on Friday, Sept. 17, 2010.

Survivors include her son, Dan Murphy of Willow; daughter, Cathy McBride of Bronson, Texas; grandsons, Jerry McBride of Tampa, Fla., Todd McBride of Niceville, Fla., Sean Murphy of Wasilla, Stephen McBride of Colmesneil, Texas, and Tad Murphy of Arlington, Texas; great-grandchildren, Derek McBride, Trevor McBride, Catherine McBride, Courtney McBride, Gregory McBride, Peyton Murphy and Nolan Murphy. She is also survived by two great-great-grandchildren, Cason McBride and Cutter McBride; two brothers, Winfred Birdwell and Carlo Birdwell, both of San Augustine; and two sisters, Bertha Mae McMurray of San Augustine and MargeNell Hilderbrandt of Orange, Texas.

Her husband, William L. Murphy; her parents; sisters, Audrey Drawhorn, MattLou Breaux; and brothers, Norman and Kennon Birdwell have preceded her in death.

Friends may make memorial contributions to the First Baptist Church of Willow Building Fund, P.O. Box 148, Willow, AK 99688.

Arrangements were with Valley Funeral Home and Crematory in Wasilla.