Betty J. Murphy

A funeral service for Betty Murphy, 95, of Algona, formerly of Creston, will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, Sept. 19, 2022, at First Lutheran Church in Algona with Reverend Dave Grindberg officiating. The service will be live streamed on First Lutheran Church’s website. Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 18 at Oakcrest Funeral Services in Algona and will continue one hour prior to the service at the church. Burial will be held at 3:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 19 in Greenfield Cemetery in Greenfield.

Betty Jane (Sandberg) Murphy was born April 27, 1927, in South Haven, Michigan, to Benjamin and Ellen (Olson) Sandberg. She attended Oak Terrace Grade School in Highwood, Illinois, and graduated from Highland Park High School in Highland Park, Illinois.

When Betty was 18 months old, her young dad, Ben, died abruptly from a massive heart attack. Betty’s mother, Ellen, and the three children moved to live and provide housekeeping and meal services for the kind Cummings family at their Chicago estate.

Betty met Mitch Murphy in 1945 when he was stationed in Lake Forest, Illinois. Her job was processing GI’s out and she was part of the typing pool. They struck up a conversation and the rest is history. Betty and Mitch were married April 6, 1946, at the Methodist Church in Highwood, Illinois. Following Mitch’s discharge from the Korean War in 1951, the couple moved to Marengo, Iowa. Mitch and Betty were blessed with three children: Chuck, Rick and Sandy. Through the years, the Murphy family lived in the Iowa cities of Marengo, Logan, Marion, New Hampton and Creston. Betty’s vocations included church secretary, bookkeeper and typist for the New Hampton newspaper. Following Mitch’s death in December 2000, Betty moved to Algona in June 2001 to be closer to her son Rick and wife Julie.

Betty was a survivor. In 1969 she was diagnosed with terminal cancer and advised to put her affairs in order. Betty was determined to raise her family and still had a lot of living to do. Through faith, positive thinking and divine intervention, Betty defied the odds and graced our lives for more than 50 additional years.

Betty enjoyed reading, traveling, walking and volunteering at many locations including Kossuth Regional Health Center, Kossuth County Economic Development, Food Pantry, Chamber of Commerce, First Lutheran Church circle, American Cancer Society, Water’s Edge Nature Center and reading to the residents at Good Samaritan Society. She was an active member, patron sponsor and volunteer of Kossuth County Concert Association. Betty was always a willing supporter for worthy causes in Algona. She was an active member of First Lutheran Church in Algona.

Christmas was always a special time for Betty. She started asking family for gift ideas several months before and was always the first ‘twinkly-eyed kid’ ready to open presents on Christmas morning. For many years she baked Yum-Yum coffee cake to be savored during gift opening. A consistent family tradition was to open one gift on Christmas Eve and the rest on Christmas morning; except for one year on Christmas Eve when Betty kept saying, “Let’s just open one more” until all the gifts were open and it was 2 a.m.

Mitch and Betty enjoyed traveling through the years, but after Mitch’s death, Betty organized family vacations that included Aruba, Mexico, Hawaii, a Caribbean cruise and a week in a Clear Lake rental lake home. Betty also enjoyed NASCAR, attending many races with Chuck and Rick. On her 80th birthday, Betty donned a helmet and firesuit as a passenger in a stock car with a professional driver and had a breathtaking, thrill-packed ride.

She was also known to be a first for adventure – and parasailed several times as an octogenarian. Betty traveled with daughter, Sandy, on several vacations around the country and took her granddaughter, Erin, on a vacation to Ireland one summer. All someone would have to say is “Let’s Go” and Betty had her bags packed.

In February 2017, Betty moved to Windsor Manor in Algona. When health issues forced the removal of Betty’s left leg, she was confined to a wheelchair and moved to Good Samaritan Society. She made many friends there and was a bit of a ‘ring leader’ for activities on her floor, not letting the wheelchair slow her down.

Survivors include her children, Chuck and wife Kathy Murphy of Iowa City; Rick and wife Julie Murphy of Algona and Sandy and husband Laine Wilder of Phoenix, Arizona; two grandchildren, Erin and husband Jeff Baber of Des Moines and Ethan and wife Michelle Wilder of Des Moines and great grandson Noah Baber of Des Moines.

Betty was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Mitch on Dec. 3, 2000, and two brothers, Clarence and Bill Sandberg.

In lieu of memorial tributes, Betty would simply say: Behave yourself, have fun and take care of your family.

Online condolences may be left at www.oakcrestfuneralservices.com