Frances DeMaria Murph

11/25/1934 – 3/22/2016

Fran, or Frannie Farkle as she was affectionately called by her family, was born in Bronx, NY, in the middle of the depression to Dorothy “Dottie” Smithers Demaria and John “Pa” DeMaria.

Just prior to her fifth grade school year, Frannie moved with her family to Renton, WA, and graduated from Renton High School in 1952. During her senior year she met Huey Murph (d. 2002), an army soldier from Alabama, while he and the rest of his platoon were utilizing the showers down at the high school (conditions up in Newcastle, where they were stationed, were primitive at the time), following their time in Korea. They married September 6, 1952, and moved to Mobile, Alabama following Huey’s honorable discharge from the army.

Daughter Joan was born in Mobile during the summer of 1953. Job opportunities at Boeing and Fran’s parents prompted their move back to Renton, in 1956; son Butch (John) was born in 1957.

Fran enjoyed bowling at Hillcrest, watching the races at Longacres (Fran and Huey owned two race horses, Rosie ‘Instead of You’ and Fiery Gold), and her own job at Boeing where she worked for ten years. Frannie was a genuine soul and opened her heart to everyone and loved animals, traveling, her daily coffee run to Starbucks, and hosting Christmas Eve.

She is survived by her large, loving, uncommonly close-knit family including daughter Joan Stretz (Bob), son Butch Murph (Karen), and her three grandsons, Gordy Bentler (Jill), John Murph (Danielle), and Christopher Murph (Jessica), five great grandchildren as well as many bonus grandchildren and great grandchildren, and many others who once they were part of her family were always part of her family and were near and dear to her, including Julee Walsh, Kyle Walsh, Vincene Holter (Jerry), and Heather Sweet (Ryan).

Frannie requested no memorial service, preferring her family get together to celebrate her. Remembrances can be sent to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Utah or St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital in Tennessee.