Obituary for Mary Louise O’Connor Murchison Mary Louise (Mary Lou) O’Connor Murchison, 91 died Sunday, June 24, 2018. Mary Lou was born in Memphis, TN, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George L. O’Connor, Sr She was a graduate of St. Agnes Academy where during her senior year she represented her school and won the Tennessee Oratorical Contest.
She later served as president of the St. Agnes Alumni Association. She attended Siena College and graduated from Memphis State College where she met her husband of 59 years, Ralph Robinson Murchison, a WWII Army Air Corps pilot. It was the parachute that had saved his life in the Pacific from which her wedding gown was made.
Also, while in college, she performed in the Memphis Open Air Theater at the Overton Park Shell. While raising a family she later earned a Master of Special Education degree and spent over 25 years teaching at Crippled Children’s Hospital School, the Memphis City School’s Homebound Program, and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Her devotion as a wife and mother was exceeded only by her devotion to her faith.
During her life she was a communicant of Blessed Sacrament, Holy Rosary, and Church of the Holy Spirit. She enjoyed endless hours volunteering at church as lector, cantor, eucharistic minister, minister to the sick, ladies evening group, and the prayer shawl ministry. She also volunteered as a “pink lady” at St. Joseph and St. Francis Hospitals and volunteered for the Serra Club, Meals on Wheels and Madonna Circle for which she was honored to serve as President.
Mary Lou was predeceased by her parents, her brother George L. O’Connor, Jr. and her husband Ralph. She is survived by their children Gayle Murchison of Memphis, Mark Murchison (Tina and their son Christian) of Hernando, MS, Robin Murchison Diffendal (John) of Franklin, TN, and Tricia Murchison Long (Treg) of Little Rock, AR. We are grateful to the staff of Baptist Reynolds Hospice House in Collierville, TN for their loving care of Mom in her final months.
Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. (Rosary beginning at 6:30 p.m.) on Thursday, June 28, 2018 at Church of the Holy Spirit, 2300 Hickory Crest Drive, Memphis, TN 38119. Services will be at 10 a.m. on Friday, June 29, 2018 also at the church with burial to follow in Memorial Park Cemetery. The family requests memorials be made to Ave Maria Foundation of Memphis, Madonna Circle, or Baptist Reynolds Hospice House.
To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Mary Louise O’Connor Murchison please visit our Sympathy Store. Cemetery Details Memorial Park Cemetery 5668 Poplar Avenue Memphis, TN, 38120 , Previous Events Visitation , JUN 28. 05:00 PM – 07:00 PM Church of the Holy Spirit 2300 Hickory Crest Memphis, TN, US, 38119 Rosary , JUN 28.
06:30 PM Church of the Holy Spirit 2300 Hickory Crest Memphis, TN, US, 38119 Funeral Mass , JUN 29.
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