Obituary of Viola Sophia Murphy

Viola Sophia Murphy of Herndon died on Sunday, Oct. 14, at her home on Grant Street. She was 88. Born in Queens, NY, Mrs. Murphy was the daughter of Elwein Peters and Bertha Binder Peters, who immigrated from Hamburg, Germany, in the 1880's. Mrs. Murphy and her late husband, James Edmond Murphy of Brooklyn NY, moved to Herndon from Long Island in 1963, when Mr. Murphy was assigned as chief of aircraft maintenance for Pan American at the new Dulles International Airport. The Murphys were married in 1945 and spent 58 years together before he died in 2003. They had seven children. Mrs. Murphy is survived by her daughters Diane O'Rourke, of Lehigh Acres, FL, Rosemarie Anderson, of Sterling, Viola Curtis, of Alexandria, Mary Ann Andrews, of Warrenton, and Charmaine Shelton, of Phoenix AZ. Her son James Elwin died in 1975 and daughter Laura Ann died in 2012, both of Herndon. Mrs. Murphy is also survived by 13 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren. A service will be held at Adams Green Funeral Home in Herndon on Sunday, Oct. 28, from 6 to 8 p.m. A funeral mass will be held on Monday, Oct. 29, at 11 a.m. at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Herndon. The burial will follow at Chestnut Grove Cemetery.