Betty Ann Murphy

Betty Ann Jouett Murphy, widow of John C. Murphy, Jr., passed away on October 4th, 2025 in Longview at the age of 95. Cremation arrangements have been made with Rader Funeral Home. A Funeral Mass for Betty will be held at St. Anthony's Catholic Church Tuesday, October 14 at 2pm with interment to follow at Lakeview Memorial Gardens.

Betty was born in Vicksburg, Mississippi on September 16, 1930 to Owen Gribble Tucker, whose roots were in Bossier City and his wife, the former Laura Elizabeth O'Neal, a native of Shreveport. Mr. Tucker passed away when Betty was three years old. Four years later, her mother married Ray Donald Jouett o Shreveport, a graduate of Louisiana State University. Mr. Jouett immediately adopted Betty as his own. She was reared in Shreveport with a younger sister and brother.

A gifted star of the tennis team at C. E. Byrd High School, Betty was voted Most Athletic Girl in the year of her graduation, 1949. Having taken business courses in high school, she declined the opportunities for college and accepted a position as secretary to the manager of Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company in Shreveport. There, she met her future husband, John Coffee Murphy, Jr. He often visited the office to pick up orders for his father's company in Longview, which was a PPG dealer. John and Betty were married on May 14, 1955 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Shreveport.

Betty joined John in working for the family business, Jno. C. Murphy Paint and Glass Company. They reared three sons: John Coffee, III, Michael Ray and Robert Christopher, known as Chris. Betty was a faithful member of St. Anthony Catholic Church, serving as a reader, extraordinary minister of the Holy Communion and member of the Court of Callahan of the Catholic Daughters of America. In the time that could be spared from business, home and church duties, she enjoyed gardening, playing bridge and fishing on Lake Cherokee.

After the death's of John's parents, he and Betty continued the family business until retirement in 1994. Betty began a second career in pharmacies, first at Eckerd Drugs and then at Louis Morgan Drugs Number Four where she remained until retiring again in 2014 at the age of 84. John passed away in 2008.

Betty was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Richard O'Neal Jouett, her husband John and their son John Coffee Murphy, III. She is survived by her and John's sons Michael Ray Murphy of Longview and Robert Christopher Murphy and his wife Louise of Katy; by grandchildren Chelsea Ann Davis, the younger John's daughter and her mother Cathy; Laura Elizabeth Murphy and Robert Christopher Murphy, II, Chris's children and their mother Andrea. Other survivors include her sister Donna Cole, her son Mark David Cole and wife Maria Louisa Canovas and their children Tristan and Tasio; Richard Jouett's children Renee Jouett Autery, Chanda and Jason and their mother Beverly.

The family would like to thank all of the caregivers at Avir at Longview (formerly Summer Meadows) and the caregivers at Kindful Health Hospice and Traditions Hospice care.

Gift's in Betty's memory may be made to St. Anthony Catholic Church, 908 East Olive Street, Longview, Texas 75601.