Anne Maureen Murphy

Anne Maureen Murphy

September 16, 1949 – March 11, 2023

Anne Murphy, 73, of Pasadena passed away peacefully March 11, 2023 after a brief illness. She rejoins, in her heavenly reward, her parents William and Jean Curtin, along with her brother William Curtin Jr., and her youngest son Jonathan Murphy.

Anne was born in Washington DC, the second of five children. Her family moved across the country in 1965 and after briefly thinking about living close to the beach, made their home in Altadena. Anne attended John Muir High School, and went on to Pasadena City College before finishing her education at San Diego State University. From there, she spent the remainder of her life as an educator.

Anne married John Michael (Mike) Murphy, Jr. in 1971. They were married for 51 years and raised three sons. She was a primary grade teacher in and around the San Gabriel Valley. She started at Paradise Canyon School in La Canada Flintridge and worked at other institutions as well, but the vast majority of her career was spent at Holy Family School in South Pasadena. While Anne found herself in almost every grade level at one point in time, and even assumed the role of principal during the school’s transition from its old facility to the buildings you see today, she was always a teacher at heart…even during her retired years.

Holy Family was not only Anne’s primary place of employment, but along with her family the school and parish were the nucleus of her life. She and Mike loved the 9:30 am Mass and were regular attendees for over forty years. In her younger days, Anne could be found chatting with friends and colleagues for hours by the big tree while her boys ran around the yard and ate donuts. She and Mike also enjoyed attending the parish fair where she bestowed hugs on current and former students alike. Anne was appreciated as much for those hugs and the kindness with which she filled her classroom as she was for her educational skills. Her former students are now surgeons and lawyers and military leaders and business people living all over the country, but she was always happy when she found out that one of them had followed her into a lifetime of teaching.

Anne and Mike truly did love the beach, perhaps a reflection of her early days arriving in California from DC. They spent many dates in their youth at Torrey Pines beach in San Diego, later introducing their sons to that beautiful strip of sand. Lasting special memories were also made at Seacliff in Ventura, where they spent many summers and later had a small cottage. Anne loved reading by the ocean, walking along the beach, and just being close to God’s presence in the beauty of nature.

Anne’s faith carried her all the days of her life. A daughter, sister, wife, mother, aunt, grandmother, teacher, mentor and friend to so many people whom she loved dearly, it was her unwavering faith in God and the many ways in which she shared it, that was her best lesson to all those who were blessed to receive her guidance. She had a special friendship with pastor emeritus Msgr. Clement Connolly, whose prayerfulness and spiritual guidance through the ups and downs of life created in Anne a sense of strength and trust in God’s plan for her.

She is survived by her husband Mike, her sons Greg (Kim and grandchildren Jack and Maggie) and Tim (Tammy and grandchildren Caitlin, Tim and Megan), and her sisters and brothers-in-law Ellen Cummings (John), Mary Becking (Dennis), and Jeannie Kemper (Brian).

A funeral mass will be held on Friday, March 31 at 10:30am at Holy Family Church in South Pasadena.