Mary Alice Murphy

Mary A. Murphy (nee Weingarten)

Born to Eternal Life on February 19, 2026, at the age of 79, Mary was the loving mother of Molly (Paul) Mikna and Jim (Wendy) Murphy. Best friend and sister to Barb (Ron) Kurtis and brother to Peter (Shelly) Weingarten. Proud grandma to Adam (Alondra), Madeleine, Jacob, and Katherine Mikna. Caring sister-in-law to Pat (Dick) Feuling and Tony Jasen. Loving Aunt to Kristin (Mike) Brewster, Matt (Caitlin) Kurtis, Eric Weingarten, Mark Weingarten, Mike (Patty) Jasen, Pat (Sue) Jasen, Tom Jasen, Jim Jasen, Tony Jasen Jr, Joe (Jenny) Feuling, John (Cheryl) Feuling, and Bob (Mary Beth) Feuling. Mary was preceded in death by her parents, Norman and Blanche Weingarten, husband James Murphy, and sister-in-law Marlene Jasen.

Mary was born September 26, 1946, and grew up the oldest of 3 children on Galena Street in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Milwaukee. After attending 8 years of school at St Sebastian Catholic School Mary graduated from Holy Angels Academy in 1964.

Following high school Mary earned her LPN degree and started her first job at Deaconess Hospital before marrying her high school sweetheart in 1967. Her nursing career followed her through moves to Menomonee Falls and Wauwatosa, at Community Memorial Hospital and The Lutheran Home, respectively. When her husband Jim started his manufacturing business, Thermet Processing Inc, in 1978 Mary became a proud co-owner and worked as an administrative assistant for many years. It was at this time that Mary first realized her love for travel as she and Jim traveled to attend Metal Treating Institute conferences all over the world.

Members of Mary's family were the most important people in her life, and Mary demonstrated that every day of her life. Raising her children, Molly and Jim, was her greatest accomplishment. After moving to Menomonee Falls, she embraced full-time motherhood watching her kids swim with neighborhood friends in the backyard pool and volunteering as a most untraditional Girl Scout leader, taking her troop on "hikes" in downtown Milwaukee and out to dinner at the Boulevard Inn. Her love for family overflowed to her 4 grandchildren who she babysat every week for years, even attending Girl Scout camp for a day with the camp's name "Gram cracker". Mary loved spending time with her children, grandchildren, and extended family both at home, where she hosted nearly every Thanksgiving and Christmas for many years, and when they vacationed together in Minocqua and in Naples.

Mary's faith was another important facet of her life. She attended Mass every Sunday and avidly participated in Bible studies and prayer groups at a variety of parishes throughout the years. Mary was most generous with her time, talent, and treasure in each of these faith communities. She felt it was important to "bloom where you are planted" and, she stepped up to contribute to everything from Christian Youth Organization, parish council, health and wellness committee, and even was elected president of Christian Women at St James in Menomonee Falls. When Mary found herself back in the Washington Heights/Highlands neighborhood, she became one of the founding members of the Bridges of Milwaukee foster child visitation program, and she and Jim volunteered together at St Sebastian as a FOCUS couple doing premarital counseling.

When her life dramatically changed in 2006, after unexpectedly losing her husband of nearly 40 years, Mary's strong faith flourished. She asserted: "I choose to be happy", and she connected with friends and neighbors, and joined a group of widows; meeting new people, entertaining, and traveling extensively. She also spent several winters in Naples soaking up the sun on the beaches of Pelican Bay with friends and family.

Mary continued to embrace life in her senior years as she fully welcomed moving to Regency Senior Living apartments in 2020. She thrived going to activities and having dinners with newfound friends in this community. She continued her lifelong hobbies of exercise, reading, keeping current on news and politics, and she continued to generously demonstrate her personal flair for style and decorating her home.

As her health declined, Mary's final year was especially trying, but it was highlighted by seeing her oldest grandson, Adam, marry his bride, Alondra, this past July. She spent this time at Elaine's Hope Memory Care at the Lutheran Home in Wauwatosa where, by chance, she was fortunate to have lived in the Highlands unit where the staff kept her safe caring for her with dignity and filling her days with the joys of activities.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, March 6, 2026 at 11:00 AM at Holy Apostles Parish, 16000 W. National Ave., in New Berlin, WI. Visitation will take place from 9:30 AM to the time of Mass at Holy Apostles. Private burial to take place at Wisconsin Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Catholic Charities or The Lutheran Home Foundation.