Ellen Murphy

1940 - 2026

Ellen McParland Murphy died on March 9, 2026. It was morning. The sun streamed through the windows. She was surrounded by family and held by Tom, her husband of sixty-three years.

Ellen was born in Quincy, Massachusetts and spoke fondly of her childhood. She maintained lifelong relationships with her high school classmates. This tight-knit group gathered regularly over the years and called themselves the TAMOFLS-the acronym remains a mystery to anyone outside the group. Ellen's smile beamed and there was a mischievous glint in her eye at any mention of the TAMOFLS.

The first woman in her family to go to college, she obtained a B.S. in Food & Nutrition from Framingham State College. The summer after graduation, and before completing her dietetic internship at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Ellen worked in a restaurant in Woods Hole where she met her husband, Tom. They married in 1962 and honeymooned in Nantucket during Hurricane Alma.

The young couple moved often having three children along the way, Alison, Patrick, and Andrew. In 1971, they settled in Arnold, Maryland, where Ellen was a Public Health Nutritionist. The family share fond memories of their lives on the Chesapeake Bay shores, where they spent hours at the community pool and feasting on bushels of blue crab.

In 1979, the family packed up their Chevy Suburban to relocate to Corvallis, Oregon. This was a big move for Ellen, leaving her East Coast roots. She still had her Boston accent as she continued her dietetic work serving low-income communities, supporting the developmentally disabled, and providing consulting to nursing homes. Her favorite job was running the Women, Infants & Children (WIC) Program, delivering support to families in need.

For the next forty-three years, Ellen and Tom enjoyed their life in Corvallis. They loved Oregon's natural environment with its outdoor activities and time at their cabin in Black Butte Ranch. They were also avid fans of the Oregon State Women's basketball team.

Ellen's Catholic upbringing gave her a lifelong faith, which she practiced in her leadership of the Social Justice Program at St. Mary's Parish. She was devoted to the Catholic LITES, a group of women who explored their faith together independent of the church. She was also a founding member of the Women's Syndicate, a communal and successful investment group, which used their earnings to travel together throughout the country. In 2022, she and Tom moved to University Retirement Community in Davis, California to be closer family.

Ellen was deeply proud of her Irish heritage, which enabled her children and grandchildren to become Irish citizens, and found great joy in her relationships with her extended family from south Armagh County. She thrived on social interaction. Her kind spark drew people to her and put them at ease. Her chats were mighty.

Ellen had a complex and arduous relationship with multiple cancers for the last quarter century of her life. Her strength and resilience during this time were moving to behold. Perhaps most inspiring was her curiosity and kindness towards every person she engaged with in the countless hospitals and emergency rooms throughout the West. She learned their stories and showed her gratitude even during her most vulnerable times.

Ellen is preceded in death by her parents Joseph and Mary McParland, and her siblings Joseph McParland, Joan Brawley, and Nancy Nyhan. She is survived by her husband, Tom Murphy; her three children Alison Worthington, Patrick Murphy, and Andrew Murphy; and her grandchildren Elizabeth Worthington, Caroline Worthington, Keelin Murphy, and Saylor Murphy.

May we all realize the words Tom whispered to Ellen as she took her final breaths: "Go in peace. Be in peace."

The family will gather for a celebration of her life later this year. If you would like to honor Ellen's life, please consider a donation in her name to the https://greenbeltlandtrust.org, PO Box 1721, Corvallis OR, 97333.