Sally Jill Murphy
Sally Jill Murphy “Jill”, 78, of La Grande, passed away on Tuesday, December 6, 2022 at a local care facility. A Celebration of Life will be held at Grande Ronde Community Church, 410 Fir Street, La Grande, Oregon on December 22, 2022 at 2 PM. A family internment will be in Chester, California at a later date.
Jill was born on Mother’s Day, May 13,1944, in Burbank, California at the Presbyterian Hospital, the oldest daughter of Bill and Phyllis Waller. She was followed by Jeff and Janice.
Jill attended school in Chester, California most of her life, graduating from High School in 1962. Jill worked in the mental health field, working with special needs adults. She met her future husband, Gene Martin, while working in Napa, California. They married in Chester and later divorced. Two children were born to this union, Tim, and Dan.
After her marriage, Jill was an in-home care provider, giving special care to each client. One of Jill’s dreams was to become a teacher and she fulfilled that dream, graduating from Chico State. Jill began teaching 7th and 8th grade but her teaching career was cut short when she was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, which caused issues with her memory.
Jill came to know Jesus and she had a passion for studying the Bible and leading others to Him. She was a prayer warrior. At the end of her life, she had difficulty finding words but when she prayed, there was no stumbling. Anyone that heard her pray knew she had a personal relationship with the One she was speaking to.
Jill was known for her compassion and her ability to reach people that others could not understand. She never met a stranger, and people opened up to her because she made them feel comfortable. She lived, for the last years of her life in a nursing facility, where the staff loved her. She had many friends there. She was involved in every activity and would schedule her friend’s visits around her activities. She loved her friend Donna, the Activity Director.
She is preceded in death by her father and mother. Survivors include her sons, Tim (Brianna) and their two daughters; Dan (Kristina) and their two sons and two daughters; Her brother Jeff (Lois) and their two daughters; sister Janice; and Jill’s long-time friend Kay Slippy.
Contributions in memory of Jill Murphy may be made to the Grande Ronde Community Church Bible Fund, 410 Fir Street, La Grande, OR 97850
Online condolences may be made to the family at www.lovelandfuneralchapel.com.