Obituary of Louise K. Murphy

Louise K. Murphy was born on August 11, 1928, in Edison, Calhoun County Georgia to Essie Owens Green and was raised by her adoring grandmother, Missouri Owens. She transitioned peacefully on April 12, 2026 at the age of 97 in Sicklerville, New Jersey.

Louise was raised in Newark, NJ and educated in the Newark Public School System at Charleston Street Grammer School ans South Side High School.  She attended Little Friendship Baptist Church with her beloved younger sister Mildred before they joined Zion Hill Baptist Church on Nicholson Street, where she was baptized at the age of fourteen.  At Zion Hill, Louise faithfully served and sang with a beautiful alto voice in the young people's choir.  Zion Hill remained an important part of her life and she was a member for 60 years.

Louise had a vibrant spirit and a love for life. In her teens, she was a great dancer who especially loved doing the Lindy Hop. That love of a dance extended well into the 1960s with "The Twist" and other popular dances that came along.  She also enjoyed traveling by plane and cruise ships with her sister and dear friends to places including Mexico, Canada, Alaska, Aruba and other islands in the Caribbean.

In May of 1948, she married Joseph Parsons and form this union, They were blessed with one child, their daugther Gail Lenore.  In August of 1967, Louise married Kenneth Murphy.  They were married for 40 years before he preceded her in death on February 14, 2008.

Louise became a member of New Beginnings Faith Fellowship Ministries in Orange, NJ in 2008.  There, she served faithfully as a member of the Missionaary Board, the Progressive Club and was honored as one of the Mothers of the Church.

Louise was employed for many years at Federal Telephone, RCA and Varitype, and was known for her strong work ethic.  She was also a proud breast cancer survior for over 25 years.

Louise was a beautiful dresser and her favorite color was yellow.  She also cherished decades-long friendships with her dear friends, especially Rosetta Mann, Rosalie Gray and Naomi McFadden.

In 2017, Louise relocated to South Jersey to be closer to her daughter and joined St. Matthews Baptist Church in Williamstown, NJ .

She leaves to mourn her passing, her devoted daughter Gail Pearson-Cooper (Charles); her stepdaughter Regina Thomas; her loving sister Mildred Taylor Morrison; her granddaughters Nichelle Gainer, Tuwana Gainer, Cherrell Cooper, Tormisheea McKenzie, Tajmel Staten and Jamila Staten; her grandsons Scott McKenzie, Melvin McKenize Jr., Edwarr Cooper and Rashasan Staten; her great-grandsons Tuwan Grainer and Tariq Quashie; her nieces, Karen Taylor Kim Taylor (Madeline), Khyanna Lovelace (CJ), Khadijah El,, Kharbibi Bivins (Jahmal), Kelsey Bowers (Carlton) and Peggy Crawford (who called her faithfully every single day); her nephwws Kyle Taylor, Michael Goines (Karla), Kevin Goines (Deborah), Allen Goines ( Maricela), Scott Goines (Tisha), Khalil Elkharbibi and Kevin Taylor II; loyal friend Joe Wheeler (who looked after Louise and her husband Kenneth like they were his sown parents) and a host of loving great0-grandchildren, great-nieces, great-nephewa, extended family and dear friends.

Louise's life was a testament to faith, resilence, love, and joy.  She will be deeply missed and forever cherished by all who knew her.