Patricia Waterman Murphy

Patricia (Waterman) Murphy (June 18, 1928 - April 7, 2026) was born in Seattle, Washington, to George and Mary (Reddick) Waterman. She grew up in West Seattle, attending Lafayette Elementary School, Madison Junior High School, and West Seattle High School. After highschool, she earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Western Washington University and a master’s degree in nursing administration from the University of Washington. She married John A. Murphy (Sr.), and they had three children: Mary (Murphy-Brown), John (Jr.), and Ann Murphy.

A memorial service will be held at Mission Woods Church on Saturday, June 13, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, please donate to your local Humane Society. Despite her small birth weight of 3lbs. 7.oz, she defied all odds and grew up with an adventurous spirit. She loved spending time outdoors, deep-sea fishing, skiing, and training her dogs. During the summers, she enjoyed spending time at Alki Beach with her dog, “Jimmy,” and with her dad at the quarry at Mt. Index or a dock in South Seattle on the Duwamish River. One day, she decided to experience life as a hobo and hopped a boxcar with Jimmy to Olympia before hopping off. Her dad was not happy, as these were the days before interstates, and it took him several hours to reach her.

She attended Lafayette Elementary, Madison Junior High, and West Seattle High School. At Lafayette, she learned the accordion despite its heaviness. She was a fierce competitor, reportedly throwing a ball farther than any boy.

In Jr. High, she became infatuated with boys and managed to sing the boys in choir by singing low. In High School, she won an award as Seattle’s top driver, prompting boys to build her a car for racing. However, she had to pass a physical, so they abandoned the idea. Instead, she engaged in street racing. Once, she skidded off the road, nearly crashing into a river, but got stuck on bushes. She later admitted to lying about hitting ice and slamming on her brakes, which her father punished her with a silent treatment for three days.

She enjoyed various sports and outdoor activities throughout the seasons, including hiking, camping, skiing, and fishing. She earned her pilot’s license and became an accomplished pilot, performing stunts like loops, twists, and stalls. She often flew over her mother’s yard, diving at the house to get her attention. Her mother would pick up the dog and run inside, delighting Pat but not her mother. 

College took her to Western Washington College in Bellingham, where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She enjoyed traveling, especially trips with her parents to Alaska and Hawaii. One highlight was her summer in Lapland, Sweden, and attending the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki.

After nursing positions in Seattle, she settled into obstetrics. In the mid-50s, she moved to Honolulu with friends. They were to report immediately, but they played until the money ran out. In Hawaii, she taught obstetrical nursing at the University of Hawaii, which she was proud of. In the late 50s, her father developed throat cancer, so she moved back to Seattle. He passed in 1960, but she continued working as an obstetrical nurse. 

She enrolled in graduate school at the University of Washington, earning her master’s degree in nursing administration in 1963. During her time there, she befriended a classmate, Harriett, who introduced her to her brother, John Alexander Murphy (Sr.), a civil engineer. They dated and eloped to Idaho, where they married in 1963. Their first child, Mary Patricia Murphy, was born in January 1964, followed by John Alexander Murphy Jr. in November. Ann Margaret Murphy joined them in March 1967, completing their family. Raising three children was a challenge, but she worked late shifts or overnight to be home. She became Supervisor of Obstetrics at Swedish Hospital in Seattle, a position she was proud of.

In 1968, her husband John (Sr.) lost his job when his firm closed. He became a stay-at-home dad, taking on contract work. Pat continued working until November 1972, when she was informed she was scheduled for work Christmas Day. Despite her efforts to work every holiday to be home with her children, the hospital management refused to change her schedule. She resigned, effective immediately, and never returned to full-time nursing.

Pat focused on her children. They had family vacations to Harrison Hot Springs in Canada, swim lessons, and various activities during the school year, including swimming, dance, basketball, volleyball, baseball, football, gymnastics, piano, singing, skiing, bluebirds, scouts, and drama. We joked that she should have a taxi driver’s hat because we kids would hop in the car after school and drive to different activities, returning home in a whirlwind.

Pat continued her education, earning her Standard and Advanced First Aid certifications and becoming an Emergency Medical Technician. She tried out for the Ski Patrol but was not selected.

We ate dinner together as a family most nights, sometimes as early as 4:30 p.m. when Dad returned from work or as late as 10 p.m.

In 1982, with one college student and two high school students, life slowed down, the kids had driver’s licenses and could schedule car rides. That’s when the family got their first Doberman, Ziggy, fulfilling John Jr.’s wish. They chose poorly. Sadly he lasted only a year. But during that year Pat got into dog training and got her second Doberman, Baron soon after. They won obedience and tracking awards together. She was hooked and got more Dobermans: Dietrich, Fritz, and Eins.

In 1995, Pat and John (Sr.) moved to a 5 1/2 acre horse farm in Enumclaw Plateau above Auburn. Pat loved it for dog training and invited her “dog friends” over for practice. Fritz and Eins won many awards in confirmation (dog beauty pageants). With Eins, she added agility training to her regimen, which the fields were ideal for. In 2013, at 85, she still ran around with her 95-pound Doberman Pinscher weaving poles, jumping over jumps, and running up and down teeter-totters. She loved it.

In 1995, Pat had her first grandchild, followed by another in 1997. They were her pride and joy, but she found “grandma” old-fashioned. At first her granddaughter called her “ma-mère, ”which Mom liked. That monicker lasted only a couple years and eventually, she embraced “Grandma.” She and John (Sr.) played grandparents to two amazing kids until John (Sr.) passed in 2007. Pat never missed a concert, play, game, recital, or graduation for them.

In 2014, she said goodbye to Eins, her last Doberman. She decided Dobermans weren’t for her and brought Dudley, a Black Labrador Retriever, into the family. She continued dog training for years. In 2018, she realized she couldn’t hear well enough and quit at 90.

Pat attended Wabash Presbyterian Church from 1996 to 2015. In 2015, she joined Mission Woods Presbyterian Church in Milton, Washington, where she remained until her death.

She is preceded in death by her parents and husband. She is survived by daughters, Mary Murphy-Brown (Glen), Ann Murphy, and son, John Murphy (Jr.). Two grandchildren, Jacey Williams (Cody), and Sean Brown and three great grandchildren, Brinley, Waylon, and Walker Williams.