Penelope “Penny” (Pepek) Murphy, of Hartford and Niantic, passed away peacefully with her immediate family by her side at Hartford Hospital on Wednesday, June 8, 2016. Penny was born in Hartford on February 9, 1946 to the late Edward John and Stefania “Stella” Irene (Kalwa) Pepek. She lived her entire life in Windsor and Hartford. She attended Windsor Schools and then graduated from Chaffee School for Women, Hartford College for Women, and the University of Connecticut with a BS degree in Education.
While at UConn, she met Philip A. Murphy, Jr. who she married in 1970. In what she would describe as the happiest day of her life, her daughter Pamela Ann was born in 1981. Pamela Ann became her primary focus and she was determined that Pamela would have every opportunity to succeed.
Penny was employed briefly at Hartford Society for Savings after graduating from college. She then embarked on a career with Aetna Life and Casualty where, among other positions, she became the first woman to manage health care accounts of major employers. She left Aetna after Pam was born to devote herself to raising Pam. As Pam grew older and more self-reliant, Penny began another career in education at the Capitol Region Education Council (CREC) working first part time, and then full time, at CREC's Polaris Center with middle and high school age students. She gained the respect and trust of the students she worked with, while maintaining discipline and a focus on education. She switched to the International Magnet School for Global Citizenship, working initially with preschool and kindergarten students, and as the students advanced in grade, first and second graders were added. She ran the school lunch and after school programs, as well as organizing and planning numerous special events and activities. In 2013, she was named one of CREC's Employee of the Year and honored at a CREC wide conference. Penny's interests include gardening and she served as a coordinator for Knox Foundation's greenhouse program. She tended her own gardens at her summer home in Niantic. She loved animals and cared for numerous cats and dogs, including several strays that found their way to her door.
Recently, a grandson named Donovan exploded into her life, and, quite characteristically, she devoted herself to him. She exercised him and played nursery rhymes and numbers and letters with him. She enthusiastically followed his daily activities at day care and at home and treasured the pictures, cards and other gifts for her. Surviving her are husband, Phil, daughter Pamela and her husband Gary Woodruff and their son Donovan. Also surviving her are brother-in-law David J. Murphy and his wife Lynne and their children and grandchildren and sister-in-law Catherine Brooks. She also leaves behind numerous cousins and their families. She was predeceased by her parents, her brother Peter Paul Pepek, and a cousin, Michael J. Pepek. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday, (June 14), 10:30 am at St. Patrick-St. Anthony Church, 284 Church St., Hartford. Burial will be in Cedar Hill Cemetery, Hartford. Everyone is requested to meet at the Church. Calling hours will be Monday, (June 13) from 5 to 8 pm at the Sheehan-Hilborn-Breen Funeral Home, 1084 New Britain Ave., West Hartford. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider a donation to: KNOX, Inc. through their website at www.knoxhartford.org or by mail to 75 Laurel Street, Hartford, CT 06106 and/or The Helen and Harry Gray Cancer Center at Hartford Hospital in honor of Penny Murphy, 80 Seymour St., P.O. Box 5037 Hartford, CT. Online condolences may be made at www. SheehanHilbornBreen.com.