Olive Murphy Goodwin, 91, of Lynchburg, VA died peacefully in her residence at Liberty Ridge Assisted Living Community on November 20, 2018. Olive was born in her home on Foster Road in Elbridge to Thomas and Lillian Borte Murphy on January 24, 1927. She graduated from Marcellus High School in 1946 and Rochester Institute of Technology with an associate degree in Retailing in 1949. She and her late husband (11/25/2011), David, met at the Camillus Cutlery where Olive worked for a summer and David was a tool and die maker. The couple married in Cleveland, OH on July 3, 1953. Prior to having children, Olive worked in retail and credit for Sears and Roebuck. The couple’s children, Sandra Denice and Kirk David, were born in Cleveland. The family moved to Rochester, NY to be closer to family in 1962. David’s employer, General Motors, transferred him to Dayton, OH in 1966. Olive quickly grew to love Dayton as she embraced and actively supported her children’s education in the Kettering Public schools and became a friend to many at Far Hills Baptist Church in Kettering. Olive loved children, and often opened her heart and home to her children’s friends. Actively involved in children’s and prayer ministry first at Far Hills Baptist Church and then First Baptist Church of Kettering, her life demonstrated her love for her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Olive lived close to her daughter for the last decade of her life, first in MD and since 2014 in VA.
Olive was preceded in death by her son Kirk (1990), her husband David (2011), all her siblings - Mary (Ed) Kinney, Marguerite (Edson) Gillette, Alice, Robert, and Frances (Evelyn), and nephew Michael Murphy. She is survived by her daughter Sandra (Stephen), granddaughter Erin, and sister-in-law Shirley (Robert) Murphy, many nieces and nephews – including great, great, great nieces, and cousins.
Olive loved people well as she lived out her Christian faith. She blessed her family, friends, and her many care-givers with her gift of encouragement. One care-giver shared, “I never left Olive’s presence without feeling better about myself”. She was a courageous, hard worker achieving dreams for herself and encouraging her children to achieve theirs. Olive also loved dogs, particularly the family’s miniature dachshund, and working outside developing and maintaining their family’s large property.
Calling hours begin at 2pm on December 2 at Robert D. Gray funeral home in Skaneateles, NY. Rev. Andrew Kilpatrick, Jr. will be the officiant for the 3pm Funeral service, and the December 3, 11 am interment at Lakeview Cemetery in Skaneateles. A memorial service led by Rev. Wayne Wingfield will be held in the Pratt Chapel at Liberty Ridge in Lynchburg, VA on December 6 at 3pm.
Olive was preceded in death by her son Kirk (1990), her husband David (2011), all her siblings - Mary (Ed) Kinney, Marguerite (Edson) Gillette, Alice, Robert, and Frances (Evelyn), and nephew Michael Murphy. She is survived by her daughter Sandra (Stephen), granddaughter Erin, and sister-in-law Shirley (Robert) Murphy, many nieces and nephews – including great, great, great nieces, and cousins.
Olive loved people well as she lived out her Christian faith. She blessed her family, friends, and her many care-givers with her gift of encouragement. One care-giver shared, “I never left Olive’s presence without feeling better about myself”. She was a courageous, hard worker achieving dreams for herself and encouraging her children to achieve theirs. Olive also loved dogs, particularly the family’s miniature dachshund, and working outside developing and maintaining their family’s large property.
Calling hours begin at 2pm on December 2 at Robert D. Gray funeral home in Skaneateles, NY. Rev. Andrew Kilpatrick, Jr. will be the officiant for the 3pm Funeral service, and the December 3, 11 am interment at Lakeview Cemetery in Skaneateles. A memorial service led by Rev. Wayne Wingfield will be held in the Pratt Chapel at Liberty Ridge in Lynchburg, VA on December 6 at 3pm.
