Pamela Murphy

Pamela B. Murphy VIRGINIA BEACH - Pamela Browning Murphy, 66, of the 600 block of Reasor Drive, died of cancer Aug. 20, 2008, at Sentara Leigh Hospital, Norfolk, surrounded by her family. She was born May 8, 1942, in Louisville, Ky., the daughter of the late Josephine and Donald Browning of Louisville. Pam was a graduate of Holy Rosary Academy and attended Nazareth College, both in Louisville. She met her husband-to-be Andrew Murphy, also of Louisville, when they were both 16. After his graduation from the U.S. Naval Academy, the couple spent most of their Navy career in the Virginia Beach area until 1985, when they moved to Philadelphia, Portland, Ore., and San Diego. They retired in 1995 to Collegeville, Pa., for seven years before returning to Virginia Beach. Pam never missed an opportunity to volunteer for causes she believed in, from managing her children's school uniform sales in the 1970s to organizing the American Red Cross blood drives, both at St. Gregory the Great Church, Virginia Beach. One of her most recent projects was to collect and deliver clothes, toys and school supplies to the Piarist Appalachian Mission in eastern Kentucky, one of the poorest areas of the country. She was a past president of the St. Gregory's Women's Club and a member of the Virginia Society for Human Life and Virginia Tea Society. She volunteered with St. Gregory's Altar Sodality and Arimathean funeral servers, as well as Meals on Wheels and the American Heart Fund. Surviving are her husband, retired Navy Capt. Andrew Murphy; daughter, Kim Bradley of Collegeville, Pa.; sons, Kevin Murphy (Hope) of Moyock, N.C., and Brian Murphy (Kristin) of Bristow, Va.; sisters, Marylyn Cain and Jackie Gahlinger (Joe) of Louisville, Jocie Hartlage of Floyds Knobs, Ind., and Megan Duhon (Greg) of Lewisville, N.C.; and brother, Keith Browning (Carol) of Louisville; and six grandchildren, Cara, Kyle, Megan, Kristen, Katherine and Maura. A Mass of the Resurrection will be celebrated at 2 p.m. Monday in St. Gregory the Great Catholic Church by the Revs. Cristiano Brito, O.S.B., and Kevin Fimian. A visitation to celebrate Pam's life will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. today and 10 a.m. to noon Monday in Rosewood Kellum Funeral Home, 601 N. Witchduck Road, Virginia Beach. Interment will be in Louisville at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Piarist Appalachian Outreach, Hwy. 80, Box 870, Martin, KY 41649.