Obituaries

Helen Murphy

Photo of Helen Murphy
Helen Murphy, 98, of Fayetteville passed away Saturday, February 17, 2018. Helen was born at the family home, December 6, 1919, in the Oakland Zion Community to Nona (Blake) and Elliot Lloyd Warren. She grew up working on the home place alongside family tending strawberry patches, vegetable gardens, cows and chickens. Her love of flowers, fresh fruits, home and family remained vibrant throughout her life. She and her family attended and were members of Oakland Baptist Church. She walked to Son's Chapel and attended school there through the eighth grade then attended Fayetteville High School staying with her aunt, Bessie Blake, and grandparents, Wm. T. and Lula (Gilliland) Blake at their boarding house just off the square on South Street. While working at the Blue Moon Cafe, Helen met and married Dale Edward Murphy while he was attending the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. She and Dale moved to Little River County in southwest Arkansas staying with his family, E.E. and Hazel (Gray) Murphy until they established their own home. They lived in the Wallace community, except for WWII, raising their family, participating in church, school and community functions. Helen longed to go to nursing school but circumstances were not favorable during Depression years. After she married and her children were a little older, she partially fulfilled her dream and worked at Little River County Hospital for a brief period. In 1989 she and Dale moved back to Fayetteville to live on the Warren home place. Just before returning to Fayetteville, they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary at First Baptist Church, Wallace, attended by many friends and family. They were married almost 60 years when Dale passed away. She was an avid reader, reading every evening until her later years. Growing up on a small farm, she seldom passed a fruit stand without stopping and making a purchase. In her 50's she began to oil paint giving her paintings to loved ones and friends as they began to request them. In Fayetteville, her brother Lloyd Warren and her sister Velma Brown had already built homes on the Warren place. Lloyd and Ruby, Velma and Richard and she and Dale would gather often to visit, talk politics, play cards and listen to Dale's stories. They attended seven or eight cousins' retreats organized yearly by Lloyd. These reunions gave them all a good excuse to travel the U.S. together. She was active in Home Demonstration Club, Sunday school and church, hosting pastors and their families. She was a 50 year member of Rocky Comfort Eastern Star. After moving to Fayetteville she became a member of Northeast Baptist Church where she and her friends would meet in homes enjoying one another as well as learning crafts such as drying and framing flowers they had grown. She now resides in the arms of her Lord; Creator of all she loved- the beauty of nature, the love of family and friends, the joy of gift giving, and the hope of life to come through Christ her Lord and Savior, whom she trusted early in life. She was preceded in death by her parents; Dale, her husband; two brothers, Lloyd O. Warren and Charles E. Warren and one great-grandchild, Francesca Smith. She is survived by her sister, Velma Brown of Wisconsin; her sister-in-law, Ruby Warren of Fayetteville; children, Wayne D. Murphy (Marilyn Hankins) of Sulphur, La., Karen L. (Jerry) Hudgeons of Foreman, Ark. and Margret H. Walker of Fayetteville, Ark.; eight grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren. Visitation will be 10-11 a.m. Saturday, February 24, 2018 at Northeast Baptist Church, Fayetteville, Ark. A memorial service will follow at 11 a.m In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in honor of Helen Murphy to the UAMS Schmieding Center for Senior Health and Education in Springdale, Arkansas. Please mail checks payable to UAMS Foundation Fund/SCSHE to: Schmieding Center, Attention: Helen Murphy Memorial, 2422 N. Thompson, Suite B, Springdale, Ark. 72764. Cremation arrangements by Beard's Funeral Chapel. Condolences at www.beardsfuneralchapel.com.

Published February 21, 2018

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