Kay Murphy

Kay Dianne Williams Murphy, of Bettendorf, Iowa, passed away Friday, February 26th, 2016 in the Special Memory Unit at The Fountains Senior Living Community in Bettendorf.  Kay bravely fought living with Parkinson's Disease and Lewy Body Dementia for many years.

Kay was born on February 5th, 1945, in Humboldt, Iowa (in a nursing home) to James Grant and Ruth Elinor (Williams) while her father was still serving in the US Army Air Force/Air Corps.  Kay often spoke of attending nearly a dozen grade schools as her family traveled with her father all over Iowa where he was employed in road construction. They eventually settled in Cedar Rapids, Iowa where Kay attended McKinley Junior High School and graduated from George Washington High School in 1963.

Kay attended St. Luke’s School of Nursing in Cedar Rapids after high school, with a hiatus to elope with her fiancé, Dennis, while he was enrolled at Florida State University.  Kay and Dennis were married in Thomasville, Georgia on September 4th, 1965, and Kay worked as a ward clerk at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital while Dennis completed his undergraduate studies.

Kay and Dennis returned to Cedar Rapids in the spring of 1967 and, Kay, fulfilling a promise made to her parents, continued her nurse's training and graduated with the St. Luke’s class of 1968. Kay was a Registered Nurse.

Her dedication and talent for nursing was honored while she was still a student, when she was tapped to serve in the Nursing Honor Guard at the funeral of the then Director of Nursing at St. Luke's, Lucille Kinley. Ms. Kinley had chosen Kay to serve, because it was her belief that Kay was the epitome of what a nurse should be.

Kay worked as a nurse and care provider at St. Mary's Hospital, Kankakee, Illinois, Iowa Sartori Memorial Hospital, Cedar Falls, Iowa, Illini Hospital, Silvis, Illinois, Mercy Hospice of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Riverview Manor Nursing Home, Pleasant Valley, Iowa, and served as Parish Nurse at Pleasant View Baptist Church, Bettendorf, Iowa in addition to many years as a stay at home mom – years highly treasured by her children.

Central to Kay's life was her abiding Christian faith.  Her belief and devotion was a light and inspiration to many.  Bible Study Fellowship, Camps Farthest Out, Cursillo, A Walk To Emmaus, Lay Witness Missions, Covenant Keepers, Hospital Befriender. GriefShare Ministry, Prayer Room Ministry, Adult Sunday School Leader – wherever Kay served, she shared her joy, her hope, her love, and her faith in Jesus Christ.  And, in so sharing, brought that joy, hope and love to those whose lives she touched.

Kay will always remain in the hearts of those who survive her, a large group of family and friends including her junior and high school sweetheart and husband, Dennis R. Murphy; their daughter Laura Kaufman, her husband Jeff and their son Zane of Carmel, Indiana, her son Thomas Murphy, his wife Kate (Elliot) and sons Jack and Ryan of Charlotte, Iowa; her daughter Lisa Murphy of Waco, Texas; as well as her brother, Bruce Williams of Minneapolis, Minnesota, her sister, Carol Stone of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; and several nieces and nephews.

Kay is preceded in death by her parents as well as her brother, James Dean Williams.

As Kay's illness progressed this love was returned many fold and her family would like to express their deep gratitude and appreciation for the outpouring of support and prayers from extended family and friends.  Thanks, as well, to the staffs of The Fountains and Beacon of Hope Hospice.

A Celebration of Life service will be held Saturday, March 5, 2016 at Asbury United Methodist Church, 1809 Mississippi Boulevard, Bettendorf, Iowa, 52722 at 10:30 a.m. Preceded by a visitation at the church, 9:30-10:15 and followed by a light lunch. Kay's family asks that in lieu of flowers memorials may be made to either Hope at the Brick House, 1431 Ripley Street, Davenport, IA 52803, http://hopeatthebrickhouse.org or to the Michael J. Fox Foundation For Parkinson's Research, https://www.michaeljfox.org/.

“And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, In as much as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” (Matthew 25:40 King James Version)