Eileen McGrath Murphy

Eileen McGrath Murphy, 94, left this life and our lives peacefully on Tuesday, May 223 in Pasco, WA.  Eileen was born on April 10, 1923 in Torrington, CT.  The fifth of eight children, her parents were Irish immigrants; Martin McGrath and Mary Doherty McGrath. She was raised in this small industrial city, and grew up during the Great Depression.  Her father was a truck dispatcher, and her mother took in laundry to support the household.  They were a poor but proud family, who supported the Catholic Church and all the children attended St. Francis School.

After graduating from Torrington High School in 1941, Eileen took a job as an operator at the Telephone Company.  She worked at Southern New England Telephone for the next 35 years, rising to the position of business office supervisor, the first woman to reach that position in the company.  She met the love of her life, William Murphy, a postal clerk, and they were married in 1951.  They lived in New London, CT for 26 years, making many friends and traveling all over the country.  They spent many summer vacations enjoying the coast of Maine at their cottage in Ogunquit.  They did not have any children, and instead indulged their 14 nieces and nephews, none more than Martha and Phil Gallagher, who survive her.  Bill died in 1977 due to complications caused by his severe diabetes, and Eileen never remarried.

It was then Eileen moved back to Torrington to be close to her best friend and sister, Agnes Gallagher.  For the next 25 years, she was a regular fixture in the Gallagher household.  Eileen and Aggie attended card parties and bingo on an almost daily basis, and she also loved reading and crossword puzzles.  After Agnes and her husband Paul both passed away, Eileen sold her home and move into an assisted living facility in Torrington. 

In 2011, she moved to the Tri Cities to be closer to her nephew Phil Gallagher and his wife Debi.  Over this time, Debi became her closest friend and trusted caregiver.  She lived at From the Heart Adult Family Home in Pasco for the last year of her life.  To those who spent the time to get to know Eileen and enjoy her always present smile and happy demeanor, her family is very grateful.  There will be a funeral Mass at St. Joseph’s Church in New London, CT.  Eileen will be buried next to her husband in St. Mary’s Cemetery.