Marsha Murphy

Marsha "Murphy" Murphy
Artist, Mother, Gardener, and Eternal Creator
1948 – 2025
Mrs. Marsha Murphy, lovingly known to friends and family simply as "Murphy," passed away peacefully on Monday, October 6, 2025, at the age of 77 with her son and daughter-in-law by her side in Smyrna, Georgia.
Born in Davenport, Iowa, Marsha was the daughter of a family that valued hard work, humor, and creativity, traits she carried with her throughout her entire life. She later moved to Huntsville, Alabama, where she met and married her husband, the late Sam K. Murphy. Together they raised two sons, Sean Murphy (Michelle) and Kristopher Murphy (Dorea), while building a life that celebrated curiosity, craftsmanship, and a fierce love of family.
Murphy lived a life overflowing with creativity and color. She was a visionary artist who found beauty in steel, paint, and soil alike. Her talents ranged from pen-and-ink illustration to acrylic painting, but her truest artistic expression was her garden, ten acres of mountain paradise in Morganton, Georgia, transformed by her own two hands into a living art installation. There, she cultivated deer hardy plants, carved winding trails, and adorned her landscape with hundreds of sculptures she either collected or welded herself. With sparks flying from a torch, she wielded with confidence and joy. Her gardens became a sanctuary for friends, family, and wildlife, and a reflection of her boundless imagination.
Murphy's artistic legacy includes countless works of welded sculpture, custom paintings, and intricate drawings, some of which grace homes and gardens across the Southeast. In her later years, she was a proud and active supporter of the Blue Ridge Mountain Arts Association, where she exhibited her work, made lifelong friendships, and hosted unforgettable "garden art parties" that blended her love of people, plants, and art into magical celebrations of community.
A serial entrepreneur before the term became fashionable, Murphy built and operated several successful small businesses over her lifetime, each one an extension of her creativity and grit. From her first home-based hair salon in Dallas, Texas, to the Plant Nursery in Largo, Florida, to her many ventures in the Tampa Bay area, including a landscape maintenance company, Logo Graphics screen printing, an art framing and silk flower shop in Belleair Beach called Belleair Studio, and later 1616 Gardens in Marietta, Georgia. She brought ingenuity and artistic flair to everything she touched.
Beyond her professional and creative pursuits, Murphy was known for her radiant personality and kindness. She had an uncanny ability to make friends everywhere she went and to leave people brighter than she found them. She was a beloved volunteer at her children's schools, organizing events and fundraisers with tireless enthusiasm, and a cherished member of every community she called home. From Treasure Island, Largo, and Tallahassee, Florida, to Norcross, and finally Morganton, Georgia, she left her mark on each place that she lived.
Murphy's life was defined by a deep love for her family, an endless curiosity for the natural world, and a creative energy that never faded. She leaves behind her two sons Sean and Kris; her grandchildren Kiera, Ryan, Brendan, and McKinley; her sisters Anita, Christine, and her brother Todd; along with many nieces, nephews, and friends who will forever carry her spirit forward. She was preceded in death by her sister Carmel and brothers Matt and Lance.
In lieu of flowers, the family invites those who wish to honor Murphy's memory to contribute to one of her favorite organizations, the Blue Ridge Mountain Arts Association, at https://brmaa.org/donate-support/. Through the arts and her personal works of art, her light and legacy continue to inspire.
Murphy's life was a masterpiece, bold, generous, and full of wonder. And the world is a far more beautiful place for the gardens, artwork, and love she leaves behind.
No services are planned currently, but a celebration of her remarkable life will be held at a later date. For more information text Murphy's personal phone number which is currently in the hands of her sons.