Obituary of Margaret Murphy Teahan

Margaret Murphy “Midge” Teahan, age 79, passed away on August 7, 2018 in Reston, Virginia. 

A memorial service and celebration of her life and legacy will be held on Saturday, September 1, 2018 at 2 pm at St. Peter the Fisherman Catholic Church, 407 Jackson Street, Fairmont, West Virginia   26554.     

Midge was born in New York City, New York on June 29, 1939 to Dr. Wallace Brock Murphy and Margaret Alice Mullady Murphy.  She went to high school at Dominican Academy in New York City and graduated in 1957.  She went on to earn a Bachelor’s Degree at Trinity College in Washington, D.C. graduating in 1961.  Always clever and a lover of words, she worked on Madison Avenue as an advertising copywriter for Montgomery Ward where she met the love her life, the dashing John Michael Teahan.  The young couple moved to   Fairmont, West Virginia in 1967 and  Midge worked for Manchin's Carpets, City National Bank & Trust,  and Monongahela Power Company/First Energy.    Monongahela Power selected Midge as their Corporate Communications liaison, putting her on television and on the radio, both of which she loved.    When her husband passed away in 1998, Midge retired from her position and relocated to Gainesville, Virginia, where she joined the community of Heritage Hunt.   At Heritage Hunt, she found new friends and built another life as a widow and grandmother, sharing her talents with Bookworm Central, a children’s book distribution company.  A lover of travel, shopping, Scrabble, dancing and all things fun, she had a flair for the dramatic and starred in many community theatrical productions throughout her life.   

Midge is survived by her three children, Margaret "Mimi" Teahan (John Fassolakis) of Mount Airy, MD; John Teahan (Jerilyn Teahan) of Charlottesville, VA; and Julie Teahan (A.J. Mushtaq) of Great Falls, VA.  She doted on her seven grandchildren: Marina and Sofia Fassolakis, Sean and Katie Teahan, and Adam, Zachary and Hannah Mushtaq.
 

In addition, she is survived by her sisters, Rosemary Dinnhaupt and Judith Norton, her brother-in-law, Lorne Norton, her sister-in-law, Sister Margaret Teahan, and was an Aunt to seventeen nieces and nephews.

 

The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to “The Midge Teahan Travel Scholarship” which will support the cost of educational expenses for Fairmont State University students who wish to experience study abroad. 

 

Midge Teahan’s road to Appalachia started with her Scotch- Irish father, Dr. Wallace Brock Murphy who was born in Grafton, WV but traveled the world as the personal doctor for the famous American businessman, John Jacob Astor V.  Her father bestowed his love of travel on his girls and Midge was always ready for her next journey.

 

This scholarship will provide deserving students the opportunity to learn and live the stories of others and to help them write their own.    As the Irish poet W.B. Yeats wrote, “There is another world, but it is in this one.” This scholarship will help someone find it—something Midge was always keen to do.

 

To give:  Contact RJ Gimbl, President Fairmont State Foundation 304-534-8786 or go to

https://www.fsufoundation.org/giving/annual-giving , choose  “Other” and add “Midge Teahan.”

 

 

 

“Oh all the comrades that e’er I’ve  had,

They’re  sorry for my going away,

And all the sweethearts that e’er I’ve had,

They’d wish me one more day to stay.

 

‘But, since it falls unto my lot,

That I should rise, and you should not,

I’ll gently rise and I’ll softly call

Goodnight, and joy be with you all.”

• “The Parting Glass”, traditional ScotchIrish ballad