Angela Murphy, 72, Caledonia, died of cancer at home on Monday, March 7, 2016.
She was born Dec. 24, 1943, in Caledonia, to Raphael and Caryl (Breckner) Ryan. She was a 1961 graduate of Loretto High School and a 1965 graduate of the University of Minnesota. She worked in Minneapolis, St. Paul and Denver, Colo., and then returned to school at Winona State where she earned a teaching degree. She taught composition and journalism at Ft. Dodge (Iowa) Senior High School and came back to Caledonia in 1972, when her father, then publisher of The Caledonia Argus, became ill with cancer. Following his death, the newspaper was sold and Tom Murphy of New Hampton, Iowa, was publisher.
Angela and Tom were married April 7, 1973, at St. John the Baptist Church in Caledonia. They published The Argus until 1998, when it was sold and she retired. At the time of the sale, The Argus had Ryan family connections for 100 years, starting with her grandfather, P. V. Ryan.
Following retirement, she volunteered at the Houston County Historical Society museum which was a highlight of her retirement years. She loved genealogy research and doing data entry for the museum’s archives. Staffing the museum was an opportunity to meet and correspond with many interesting people. She particularly loved hearing and reading family stories from researchers. She worked on her own family history and had boxes of notes, pictures, letters and histories stuffed into closets, some organized, some not so much. She liked to say she was living in the past and happy to be there.
Over the years, she served on the DAC, Woodland Industries and ABC boards and on the Caledonia Public Library board.
She was preceded in death by a son, Patrick Thomas; a brother, Michael; her parents; father and mother-in-law, Gerald and Loretta Murphy; and brother-in-law, Ed Koezly.
Survivors include her husband; a daughter, Cathleen Anne (Scott) Swendsen, Lakewood, Colo.; a son, John Michael Murphy of Caledonia; two sisters, Mary (Mike) Hansen, North Las Vegas, Nev.; and Barbara (Craig) Rollins, Caledonia; a brother, Kevin (Mary) Ryan, Sioux Falls, S.D.; sisters and brothers-in-law, Sally (Ted) Katzmark, Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Susan Koezly, Coon Rapids, Minn.; Wally (Glennda) Murphy, New Hampton, Iowa; and Laurie (Jim) Davis, Charles City, Iowa; nieces and nephews and special therapy dog, Ginger, the Arkansas hound.
Angela will be remembered for her love of books and for a sense of humor. One of her favorite expressions was: It is better to find humility before it comes looking for you. She would laugh and recall the times humility did come looking for her.
With respect for her wishes, there will be no services held. Inurnment will be in Calvary Cemetery at Caledonia. A family and friends gathering will be held at a later date.
Memorials are preferred to the Houston County Historical Society, ABCWorks, ABLE or Camp Winnebago.
McCormick Funeral Home, Caledonia, is in charge of the arrangements.