Edna Murphy

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, August 24, 2010

NATCHEZ — Edna Parker “Dootsie” Murphy, 68, of Natchez, died Saturday, Aug. 21, 2010, following a 22-year battle with cancer.

Memorial services will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Trinity Episcopal Church in the Parish Hall.

Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until service time Friday at the church.

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Memorial services will also be at 11 a.m. Monday, Aug. 30, 2010, in Bay St. Louis at Christ Episcopal Church. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until service time Monday at the church.

Mrs. Murphy was born Jan. 16, 1942, the daughter of Robert Hicks Parker Jr. and Juanita Brumfield Parker of Natchez.

She was affectionately known throughout her life as “Dootsie.”

Dootsie graduated with honors from Vanderbilt University where she earned a bachelor of administration degree in English and history and was active in campus life including membership in the Kappa Delta sorority. After her children were grown, she earned a bachelor of science degree in nursing with honors from the University of Southern Mississippi.

Dootsie was a lifelong Episcopalian. She was a member of Christ Episcopal Church in Bay St. Louis where she served on the Vestry and Trinity Episcopal Church in Natchez. She was an active member of the Episcopal Church Women of the Diocese of Mississippi and served as its Gulf Coast representative.

Through the years she committed her time to many organizations, including Skyline Foundation in Mentone, Ala., where she served as a member of its board of governors. Dootsie was active in a number of projects of benefit to her communities including volunteering her time to the Bay Waveland Yacht Club, Bay St. Louis and the Pilgrimage Garden Club in Natchez.

She was preceded in death by her parents.

Survivors include her husband, Simon Wayne Murphy of Natchez and Pass Christian; two children, Page Murphy Vogelsang and husband, Phillip, of Houston, Texas and Dr. Simon Wayne Murphy Jr., and wife, Laurie, of Tyler, Texas; three grandchildren, Murphy James Vogelsang, Ella Page Vogelsang and Aidan Simon Murphy; and three sisters, Lil Parker Graning of Natchez, Paula Parker Pugh of Willis, Texas and Deborah Parker Calandro of Baton Rouge.

In lieu of usual remembrances, the family requests that donations be kindly considered in Dootsie’s name to The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, Christ Episcopal Church or The Skyline Foundation in Mentone.

The family extends a special thanks to those who gave loving compassionate care to Dootsie in her final illness.

Online condolences may be sent to www.lairdfh.com.