She was born in Lowell on Oct. 27, 1917, a daughter of the late Frederick and Elizabeth N. (Jones) Waterhouse. She received her early education in the Lowell Public Schools.She worked in the mills as a weaver, and then became employed by Lowell Lingerie Co. as a seamstress. At the time of her retirement, Mrs. Murphy had been associated with the country for 40 years In her younger years, she had been a member of Calvary Baptist Church in Lowell, where she had been a lead soloist in the choir, and had sung at many weddings and funerals. She also performed at many lodges, including the Eastern Star and had been approached to sing opera professionally, according to family members. Mrs. Murphy was also an active member of the Christian Endeavor.She issurvived by two sons and a daughter-in-law, Donald Murphy of Lowell and George P. and Pauline Murphy of Reading, Calif.; her twin sister, Mrs. Mildred E. Aldrich of Lowell; two grandsons, George H. "Skip" Murphy and his wife Karry, and Ronald P. Murphy, all of Reading, Calif.; two great-grandchildren, Erin H. Murphy and Abigail Murphy, both of Reading, Calif; three nieces and their husbands, Elizabeth M. (Aldrich) and Lawrence Tremblay of Smyrna, Ga., Dorothy J. (Aldrich) and Thomas Dionne of Lowell, and Mildred E. (Aldrich) and David Milley ofChelmsford; a nephew and his wife, Richard Aldrich and Joyce Waterhouse of Westford; many grandnieces and grandnephews.She was also the grandmother of the late Dennis Paul Murphy.