Margaret Anne Cooper Murphey passed away on Saturday, June 1, 2024, in hospice care at North Mississippi Medical Center at the age of 98. She left this world quietly and peacefully surrounded by loving family, friends, and devoted caregivers. She was blessed to spend her final days visiting with loved ones.
Margaret Anne was born in Raleigh, North Carolina on October 21, 1925, to Margaret Elizabeth Faison Cooper and Charles William Cooper. The family soon moved to New Orleans, Louisiana, where she graduated from McMain High School and later attended Randolph Macon College and Sophie Newcomb at Tulane.
In 1945, she married a handsome Charity Hospital intern, Eugene Moreau Murphey, MD, and the two of them spent the next seventy-two years together building a relationship, raising four children, and giving of themselves in countless ways to their friends, extended family, church, and community.
Margaret Anne’s sense of purpose and dry wit combined to make her both a wonderfully entertaining friend and an exceptionally effective businesswoman and community leader. She owned and operated an antique store, a knit shop, and traveled as a regional manager for Doncaster Clothing. After one of her own children was diagnosed and successfully treated for lymphoma, she became involved in local and national fundraising efforts to support the work of St. Jude Hospital.
For many decades Margaret Anne employed her organizational, fund-raising, and leadership talents to make Tupelo a true center for the performing and visual arts. She was one of the charter members of the Board of Directors of the Tupelo Community Theater. She performed in several TCT productions, including a most memorable performance in Plaza Suite with husband Gene in 1971.
That same year, she joined a group of practical visionaries committed to the seemingly impossible task of bringing a professional symphony orchestra to Tupelo. At various times, she served as Board member, President, and Executive Director of the symphony organization. Her passion and hard work alongside others helped guide and develop what is now the North Mississippi Symphony Orchestra which has enriched our community with Link Center Concert Series, 4th of July Concerts at Ballard Park, and local school concerts and workshops. Two of the most prominent accomplishments of Margaret Anne’s tenure as Executive Director of the symphony was overseeing a campaign to raise funds to purchase a Steinway Concert Grand piano and establishing partnerships with the Van Cliburn and the Cleveland International Piano Competitions to bring the winners of the competition to perform with the orchestra in Tupelo. These efforts raised the profile and recognition of the orchestra both nationally and internationally.
In 2003, she was named Tupelo’s Outstanding Citizen in honor of her many contributions to the community.
Margaret Anne was a faithful and active member of the First Presbyterian Church of Tupelo. She was a loyal member of the chancel choir for over fifty years and served on various committees helping to guide the life and growth of the church.
She was preceded in death by her loving husband Dr. Eugene Moreau Murphey, III; parents Margaret Elizabeth Faison Cooper and Charles William Cooper; and sister Elizabeth Faison Willis (Charles Perry).
She is survived by her children William Cooper Murphey, Dr. Steven Moreau Murphey (Anita) of Hattiesburg, MS, Margaret Elizabeth Murphey of Tupelo, MS, and Jean Faison Murphey of Atlanta, GA; grandchildren David Stokes Murphey (Taryn) of Hattiesburg, MS, and William Moreau Murphey (Annessya) of Hattiesburg, MS; great grand-children Tatum Lee Murphey, Kiel Stokes Murphey, Franklin Moreau Murphey, and Steven Penn Murphey of Hattiesburg, MS; niece Elizabeth Anne McFarlain of Lafayette, LA; nephews Charles Perry Willis, Jr., (Susan) of Conroe, TX, and James Clinton Willis (Jennifer) of Cape Elizabeth, ME; great nephews Henry Lee McFarlain, Jr. (Heather) of Fort Worth, TX and Charles William McFarlain (Jennifer) of Lafayette, LA among many others.
The family would especially like to express their deepest gratitude for the loving comfort provided by the following caregivers – Latausa (Tasha) Roberson, Alice Atkinson, Jennifer Atkinson, Bonita Thompson, and Faith Glasgow.
Visitation will be 2 until service time on Monday, June 3, 2024, at First Presbyterian Church, Tupelo.
A memorial services honoring her life will be 4 p.m. Monday, June 3, 2024, at First Presbyterian Church, Tupelo with Dr. John Brock and Rev. Ron Richardson officiating. She will be inurned at First Presbyterian Columbarium.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to the North Mississippi Symphony Orchestra (designated to “Margaret Anne Murphey Legacy Fund”), St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, or First Presbyterian Church of Tupelo.
