Janice (Jan) Beverly Murphy (nee Soderquist) left this world on February 3, 2016 in San Antonio, TX after a short illness. She was 82.
Jan was born on Aug 21, 1933, in St. Croix Falls,WI, to her parents Carl and Vivian Soderquist; the third of five siblings. After bouncing around the western United States, the family settled in Pocatello, ID. She graduated from Idaho State University in Pocatello in 1955 with honors, where she was a member of Alpha Omicron Pi sorority, with a BA in Elementary Education. She taught in the Long Beach, CA school district until she noticed an advertisement to teach the children of the US Air Force servicemen stationed in England. While working in England, she met her future husband William (Bill) Murphy. While Bill was proudly serving his country, they and their (beloved) children (Craig, Cathleen (Cathy) and Ian) lived in Shreveport, LA (where Craig was born); Wiesbaden, (West) Germany (where Cathy and Ian were born), and Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where Bill retired from the USAF.
After retirement, Jan, Bill and family moved to a small farm outside of Sullivan, MO, where Bill’s parents (Edith and Frank) had retired. Jan taught 5th grade in the Sullivan School District from 1970 to her retirement in 1996. She was a wonderful teacher, inspiring countless students and was a cherished coworker and mentor to her fellow teachers. Once her former students discovered that Craig, Cathy and Ian were her children, they all interjected with great fervor how much they all loved having been taught by her.
Jan had a great passion for the theater, having won awards in college for plays she performed. She, for many years, had season tickets to a local theater in St. Louis, MO with her son Ian who inherited her passion for theater. In fact, her zeal for live theater was such, she volunteered as an usher for the premier theater in St. Louis, the Fox Theater. One of her fondest memories was seeing the original London production of My Fair lady
(with Julie Andrews and Rex Harrison).
She loved traveling and after her husbands’ passing in 1989, she explored the world, always returning with keepsakes that she sprinkled her home to remind her of these fabulous excursions. China and New Zealand were especially favorite lands to visit.
Jan was a devoted Mother (at which she excelled), a fabulous cook and avid reader. Jan and Bill were terrific parents to their three children. The children have frequently stated that their childhood was so idyllic that once they made their individual ways into the world and witnessed other family dynamics, they did not realize how good of an upbringing they had and their family was the stereotypical Cleavers from the TV show “Leave it to Beaver.”
Jan was a member of the Sullivan First Presbyterian Church during her residence in Sullivan, MO. She served as an Elder of the church. She and Bill for many years, enjoyed their membership in the Mariners Group at church where she made and cultured life-long friends.
Jan is survived by her son and daughter-in law, Craig and Theresa Murphy of San Antonio, TX; her daughter and daughter-in law, Cathy and Kelly Murphy-Maijer of St. Peters, MO; son and daughter-in law, Ian Murphy and Jennifer Gaither of St. Louis, MO; grandson Taylor Murphy of San Antonio, TX, step-grandchildren Jennifer Comeaux, Nicole Cadena, Monica Brady of San Antonio,TX, Donald Ruebenson III (of the US Coast Guard), Moses (Ben) Gaither-Ganim and Adlai (Addie) Gaither-Ganim of St. Louis, MO; seven step-great-grandchildren of San Antonio, TX; brother Neil Soderquist of Idaho Falls, ID and sister Clarice (Ann) Stamschror of Los Altos, CA. She is preceded in death by her husband, Bill, her elder sister, Dorothy (Dottie) Olsen and brother, Gene.
According to her wishes, Jan was cremated and a memorial service was held at the Bulverde United Methodist Church, San Antonio,TX on February 7, 2016 at 1 p.m. Additionally, a memorial service was held on June 4, 2016 at 11 a.m. from the chapel of the Eaton Funeral Home, Sullivan, MO with burial in Crow Cemetery next to her heart’s love, Bill. In lieu of flowers,please donate to the Ronald McDonald House of St. Louis, MO, where Jan volunteered for many years in the 1900’s and 2000’s.