Carmen C. Murphy

Carmen C. Frechette Murphy, 90, of Lebanon, formerly of Sanford, died at home on February 26, 2013.Carmen was born in Sanford on August 23, 1922 to J. Alfred and Valeda (Demers) Frechette. She grew up in Sanford and attended Holy Family School until she transferred to the public school system so that she could learn to speak English. She graduated from Sanford High School in 1941. Carmen lived in Washington, D.C. from 1942 to 1943 working as a secretary for the U.S. Department of the Navy, Aeronautics Division until she became homesick and returned to Sanford. She had a strong desire to serve her country, so like her father and many uncles before her she enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1944 and served in the WAVES. She was stationed in Washington, D.C. where she had the opportunity to meet Bishop Fulton Sheen. She completed her enlistment in 1946 and enrolled in Fisher College in Boston, graduating in 1948. Carmen was employed as a secretary for the superintendant of the Sanford School Department from 1948 to 1951 when she was recalled to active duty for the Korean War. She was stationed in Quonset Point, Rhode Island from 1951 to 1955 where she met Chief Petty Officer Patrick W. Murphy who was a Pearl Harbor survivor. They were married in October of 1955 at Holy Family in Sanford by Carmen's cousin, Father Leonard Frechette. Carmen continued to serve in the naval reserve until 1959. Carmen and her husband returned to Sanford in 1959 after he retired from the military. From that point on Carmen devoted her life to caring for her family. She was a lifetime communicant of Holy Family Church in Sanford. She was a devout Catholic with a great devotion to Mary, the mother of Jesus and to the Holy Rosary. She was a member of the American Legion and the VFW and also worked for several years at the Capitol Theater in Sanford. She will be remembered as kind and loving woman who was devoted to her family and will be dearly missed.Carmen was predeceased by her husband, Patrick Murphy in 2000.Surviving are two daughters, Claire Buck and her husband Doug of Lebanon and Patricia Murphy of Sanford; three grandchildren, Sarah Roy of Acton and Megan Davidson of Sanford and Jazmin Buck of Lebanon and two great-grandchildren, Sada Chaisson and Shane Alexander.A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 AM on Saturday, March 2nd at St. Therse of Lisieux Parish, Holy Family Church located on North Avenue in Sanford. Interment with military honors will be held in the spring at St. Ignatius Cemetery in Sanford.Arrangements are under the direction of Black Funeral Homes and Cremation Service, Sanford-Springvale.Those planning an expression of sympathy are asked to consider sending a memorial contribution to the Salvation Army, P.O. Box 391, Sanford, Maine 04073, in gratitude for all of the support and services provided to the troops during World War II and Korea.To leave a message of sympathy for the family please click on the condolences tab to the left.