Teresa A. "Terry" Murphy

Teresa A. ("Terry") Murphy, 90, of Geneva, Illinois, died on Oct. 18, 2019. Terry was born in Chicago, Illinois, on June 24, 1929, the daughter of Earl W. Chambers and Mildred A. (Wilder) Chambers. She graduated from Madonna High School in Aurora and attended the College of St. Benedict in St. Joseph, Minnesota. Terry co-founded St. Gregory's Catholic Bookstore in Aurora, with several Madonna classmates, while still in her early 20s. She was involved in the management and operation of the bookstore for more than 20 years, including at its ultimate location on Galena Blvd. within steps of the Paramount Theater. Terry was married to J. Robert ("Bob") Murphy for over 65 years and together they raised six children. Terry and Bob enjoyed traveling and developed an affinity for the people, language, culture and art of Southern France. They would eventually spend several weeks each year in Aix-en-Provence. Terry loved gourmet cooking, art, fashion and interior design. She was a gifted collector of fine furnishings and contemporary art at home and on behalf of local interior design firms. She later opened her own boutique, Le Paradou, in Geneva, specializing in provincial furniture, fabrics, pottery, handcrafted santons and gifts imported from Provence, France. Terry was preceded in death by her husband, Bob, in 2015, and a son, Brendan, in 2014. Terry is survived by her sons, Jim (Mary) of Aurora, and Ian of Chicago; her daughters, Ann Murphy Borel (the late Jean-Louis Borel) of Paris, France; Margaret (Bill) Fehrenbacher of Oswego; and Nora Murphy of Napa, California. She is also survived by six grandchildren, Katy and James Murphy, Sarah (Nate) Thielk, Emily (Zachary Mannix) Fehrenbacher, Floriane Borel, and Christopher Barnett. Honoring Terry's wishes, there will be no visitation; family and friends will celebrate her life on a future date. Terry favored Native American and migrant workers charitable causes and donations may be made in her memory to Native American Heritage Association, P.O. Box 512, Rapid City SD 57709; or United Farm Workers, "Spare Change", P.O. Box 62, Keene, CA, 93531.