JANE CROW MURPHY (WILSON)

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JANE CROW MURPHY (nee WILSON) April 6, 1910 - July 7, 2006 Our dear mother, Jane Murphy, passed peacefully on July 7, 2006. She gently succumbed to the vicissitudes of old age with the same brave, determined spirit that had sustained her throughout her long life. She was predeceased by her parents, Jemima and Archibald Wilson as well as her two sisters, Agnes (Nancy) Wilson and Elizabeth (Betty) Wilson. Jane was the second of the three sisters, all of whom were born in Kirkfieldbank, Scotland. Left to mourn her passing are her children, Allan (Marcha) Murphy, Marilyn Whyte, Tish (Steve Anthony) Murphy. Grandchildren, Allan (Leena), Sarah (Tom), Candice (Bruce), Simone (John), Siobhan (Garth); her great-grandchildren, Michael and Dillon, Nicholas and Taylor, Gabriel and Maeve, Alexander, Bronwyn and Euan. The Wilson family immigrated to Canada following the First World War and established their home in the West End of Winnipeg where Jane was to reside for the rest of her life. Like many young women in her day, Jane had to leave school after the ninth grade to seek employment. She often reminisced fondly about her office job at the Honeysuckle Bakery and perhaps it was there that her lifelong enjoyment of baking began. It speaks to Jane's strength and determination however that decades later, when she was well into her 70s, she completed the requirements to achieve her high school equivalency diploma. After her marriage to James P. Murphy in 1933 Jane devoted herself to homemaking and to raising her three children. At the time of her death, she was living in the same home into which she had moved as a young married woman almost 70 years before. Her home and her children - then grandchildren and great-grandchildren - were to become her life's work . The legacy she leaves is in the example she provided and in the words that define her life: dignified, selfless, proud, uncomplaining, strong, stylish, loyal, courageous, thankful, faithful, self-sufficient, determined. Though Jane's material possessions were modest, she always felt extremely fortunate, crediting her family for inestimable good luck. Until a year or two ago Jane was very independent and followed the simple but satisfying routines from which she derived such pleasure. She turned out hundreds and hundreds of cakes of real Scottish shortbread , made countless servings of porridge, scones and that baffling Scottish delicacy mince , and in later years delighted in making fresh loaves in her bread maker. Jane's Christmas baking was always a much anticipated start to the holiday season. Decades ahead of her time, she originated many innovative ways to reusing materials that put contemporary recycling efforts to shame. As she did not drive, Jane got around her neighbourhood by foot and around the city on public transportation. That fact, in combination with her dedication to performing a 20 minute daily stretching routine, surely contributed to her excellent health. Another sustaining force in Jane's life, was her relationship with her dear sister and closest friend, Nancy. Until only a year or two before Nancy's death in 1998 they could be seen strolling through Eaton's every Saturday. Jane felt the loss of her sister deeply. Jane declined gradually during recent years but with the assistance of family and a small group of supportive neighbours and professionals, she remained comfortably in her home. She was hospitalized for only two days before she passed peacefully - her quiet grace intact to the end. In accordance with Jane's wishes a private memorial service will be held in September. Goodbye Mum. Goodbye Nana. We love you.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jul 22, 2006