Tommye Elizabeth Barker Murphy, 91, passed away Monday, June 24, 2024, at the Magnolia Manor Senior Living facility in Plano, TX., following a 3-year battle with multiple myeloma.

Elizabeth was born in Salisbury, N.C., to Thomas Ralph Barker and Elizabeth Morton Barker on July 28, 1932. The oldest of four children, she had two younger brothers, Ralph Morton Barker and John Coombs Barker, and a younger sister, Angie Rebecca Barker. Elizabeth had a lifelong love of classical music and excelled at piano. After graduating from Boyden High School (now Salisbury H.S.) in 1950, Elizabeth attended the Women's College of the University of North Carolina (nka UNC Greensboro), where she was inducted into the Honor Society of Phi Beta Kappa and graduated with a B.A. in English in 1954.

After completing her college degree, she relocated to New York City, where she was employed by Meridian Books. Her deep commitment to the Roman Catholic faith led her to join the Catholic Worker movement founded by Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin. She would remain dedicated and active in the Catholic Church throughout her life. On December 10, 1957, she married Francis John Murphy of New York, N.Y., at the Church of St. Brigid in New York, N.Y. Elizabeth and Francis settled in the Seagate neighborhood of Brooklyn before eventually moving to the Stapleton neighborhood in Staten Island. Elizabeth began her career in property insurance underwriting with the Home Insurance Company of New York in 1969. Elizabeth and Francis eventually relocated their family to Houston, TX, in 1971. While in Houston, she was employed by the J.H. Blades Insurance Co., the Ranger Insurance Co., and the Northbrook Insurance Co. as a Senior Underwriter.

Elizabeth and Francis moved to San Antonio, TX in 1988, where she later retired from the Northbrook Insurance Co. Elizabeth joined St. Luke Catholic Church, and became an active participant in mentoring for the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) and also regularly attended ACTS retreats. Elizabeth and Francis moved to Dallas in 1996, where Elizabeth joined the All Saints Catholic Church. She taught Sunday school, participated in the choir and Adoration, and would regularly attend retreats at the Mount Carmel Center. Elizabeth would later join the Mater Dei Catholic Parish in 2010.

Elizabeth is predeceased by her husband Francis, her son Francis John Murphy Jr., her brothers Ralph and John, and nieces Melissa Barker Britt, Katherine Painter Crawford, and Mary Ryan Lutes. She is survived by her daughter, Margaret Elizabeth Cooper (Billy) of North Richland Hills, TX, son Robert Thomas Murphy of Richardson, TX, sister Angie Barker Painter and her husband Max C. Painter of Spartanburg, SC, granddaughter Judy Goldberg Dane (Mike) and great-granddaughters Mia, Layla, and Eva Dane of Bellaire, TX, nephews Michael Barker (Megan) of Hampstead, NC and David Barker (Tammy) of Walkertown, NC, nieces Emily Rebecca Painter of Greenville, SC, Nancy Ryan (Andrew) of New Paltz, NY, and Eileen Ryan of Rhinebeck, NY, and sister-in-law Katharine Hood Barker of Newport News, VA.

Visitation will be at the North Dallas Funeral Home, 2710 Valley View Ln, Farmers Branch, TX 75234 on Wednesday, July 10 from 6:00 - 8:00 pm. Funeral service will be held Thursday, July 11 at 10:00 am at Mater Dei Catholic Parish, 2030 E State Hwy 356, Irving, TX, 75060. There will be an interment ceremony at the Dallas Fort Worth National Cemetery, 2000 Mountain Creek Pkwy, Dallas, TX on Thursday, July 11, 2024, at 2:30 pm.

In lieu of flowers, contributions to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (https://secure.aspca.org/) would be appreciated.