Josephine Wright Murley

Josephine Murley Obituary

MURLEY Josephine Wright Murley, 91, died peacefully in her Orange Park home on Saturday, March 12, with family members present. She was born on February 27, 1920, at her grandmother's home at Loreto, near Mandarin, just before the family moved to St. Augustine. She was fourth among the ten children of Lucy Lourcey and Samuel Abner Wright. She leaves behind to remember and celebrate her life three sisters and one sister-in-law, three daughters, two sons, two daughters-in-law, seven grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, and many dear nieces and nephews. Josephine graduated from Ketterlinus High School in St. Augustine and then St. Luke's Hospital nursing program in Jacksonville. She and a friend from nursing school worked at a hospital in Miami before joining the U.S. Army in February 1942. Lt. Wright and five other young nurses pioneered medical air evacuation of Allied troops on the north coast of New Guinea, taking the wounded from battlefields to Brisbane, Australia, on C-47 aircraft. After the war ended, Jo married H.D. Murley in Memphis, and in 1959 they moved the family to Texas. He died in March 1991, and she moved back to northeast Florida to be near her beloved brothers and sisters. She enjoyed family occasions including bowling and lunch on Wednesdays, which she last attended in February. From an early age Jo loved reading and the beach. As a young mom she sewed clothes for her daughters and later used these talents as an accomplished quilter; among her charitable gifts are several children's quilts she designed, made, and gave to a local police program for traumatized children. As a final gift, Jo arranged years ago to donate her body to the University of Florida College of Medicine for the benefit of students' practical education. The family will soon hold a commemoration of her life. The last lines in the undated, handwritten letter to her children that was discovered the morning after she died say: "Don't be sad. I've had a great life and a lot of wonderful memories."

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Published by Florida Times-Union on Mar. 15, 2011.

Memories and Condolences
for Josephine Murley

8 Entries

December 24, 2011

Thinking of and missing you, Mom, this time of year and every day. Wish you were here.

July 11, 2011

Mom-
such a short time since have been gone--but, oh how long it has seemed. I love and miss you

Mary Kilgour

April 9, 2011

Tana, such a lovely life, so well described. I wonder if your Mom accompanied my wounded cousin when he was evacuated to Australia. He ended up marrying his Australian nurse! You were lucky to have your Mom from so long. God Bless. Mary

Ileana McCray

March 16, 2011

Tana, I am very sorry for the loss of your mother, what a wonderful and fulfilling life she led. May the memories comfort everyone in your family. God Bless.

Michelle Murray

March 15, 2011

Granny,
I love you so very much! You will always have a large part of my heart - nobody else would have put up with me! You were/are such a strong person, I only hope I can be half the woman were. Now is the time I really need your advise....

Love you always,
Michelle

Joy Murley Geller

March 15, 2011

My dear Aunt Jo was such an intelligent, quick-witted and practical woman. She had an exciting military career during WWII which she rarely spoke of and was never boastful of. She was a woman before her time, educated, adventurous and with her own career. Yet being in the jungles of New Guinea ferrying wounded soldiers to Australia required bravery and patriotism. Her quiet demeanor masked this sense of adventurousness and independence.

I will always be grateful for the kindness she showed me while living with my grandparents. She included me in many activities with her family even though she certainly had her hands full with my little cousins!

I am priviledged to have had her in my life and will always think so highly of my very remarkable Aunt Jo.

Lucy Wright McCook

March 15, 2011

What a beautiful tribute to this wonderful woman of character and strength! I will truly miss my Aunt Jo who always saved her words, wisdom and humor for the most appropriate moments. As we gather soon for our Wright Family Reunion, I hope that it will become a moment to remember Jo and the other members of the Wright clan who have left a large legacy and that my Murley cousins will be there to see how we all loved their mother.

March 15, 2011

Thanks for your service Lt. RIP Job well done.

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