Lena Eldon (Douglas) Murphy

Lena Eldon (Douglas) Murphy was born September 24, 1929, to Willie Paschall Douglas and Edith Odessa Douglas in Geary, Oklahoma. Lena joined Basil and went to her heavenly home on January 15, 2023, in Weatherford, Oklahoma, at the age of 93.

Lena grew up in the Geary community and graduated from Geary High School. Always a hard worker, Lena and sister Lillie chose to do most of the outside chores when she was a child; and when Lena was around ten years old, she took a part-time job at a local store so that she could buy Christmas gifts for her mother and father whom she adored. Soon after high school, she worked as a nurse at the Hinton Hospital. She was the ultimate caretaker and comforter, so nursing was a perfect fit for her. Later in life, any time her children or grandchildren had a splinter in a finger to be removed, glass embedded in a palm to be picked out, or a tooth that needed to be pulled, Lena was always there.

One memorable day, when Lena stepped off the bus to go to her job at the Hinton Hospital, a young man, Basil Murphy, spotted her across the way, and declared “she’s mine.” Soon afterward she married this man, the love of her life, Basil Murphy, on January 14, 1950, and was fiercely devoted to him all her life. Throughout their almost 73 years together, the two of them knew love, laughter, and loss. They experienced the joy of raising children and the great sorrow of the loss of three of theirs: two in infancy and one in adulthood. Through it all, Lena faced all phases of life with her hand in Basil’s.

Lena enjoyed loving and laughing with family and friends, spending quiet hours on the porch swing with Basil, hugging her grandchildren and great grands, teaching Sunday School and Bible School, starting and leading a local Girl Scouts, attending the Gospel Jamboree, and was an avid fan of “Days of Our Lives.” She worked hundreds of hours hand-stitching quilts to gift to her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren that will be treasures for generations to come. She held many part-time jobs throughout her life to provide Christmas and birthday gifts for her children and grands. As a natural competitor, she loved winning at games and cards, and in later years, a game of Bingo at the nursing home.

Lena always made sure that her home was the place to be for her kids, grandkids, great-grandkids. Sleepovers and holidays at Grandma’s made for many, many sweet memories. Kids and grandkids and even great grands walked to Grandma’s house on school days to sit at her table and have a meal or possibly an orange push up or a treat from the candy drawer that she kept fully stocked. There was never a shortage of junk food at Grandma’s!

In the kitchen she was famous among her family for her Sunday morning biscuits and chocolate and homemade noodles which were always a staple at holidays—a tradition handed down from her grandmother and mother and is carried on in her children and grandchildren even today. She made a home that was open, caring, protective, and inviting. Her selflessness was apparent in every corner of her life. The world is a better place because she never passed up an opportunity to say “I love you.”

Survivors include her children, Debbie Mosley and husband Jerry of Hinton, Oklahoma; Danny Murphy and wife Cindy of Oney, Oklahoma; a sister, Gloria Jean Douglas of Choctaw, Oklahoma; her grandchildren Jennifer Nelson and husband Justin of Hinton, Oklahoma, Staci Pack and husband Shanon of Hinton, Oklahoma, Andrew Mosley and wife Mandie of Hinton, Oklahoma, Crysti Adams and husband Jason of Choctaw, Oklahoma, Cole Murphy and wife MaKayla of Hinton, Oklahoma, Jeremy Murphy of Hinton, Oklahoma, Brady Murphy and wife Robin of Hinton, Oklahoma, and Haley Miller and husband Keith of Missouri; great-grandchildren Kaitlin, Brett, Gavin, Carson, Gillian, Josh, Hattie, Easton, Hudson, Ruger and Blake, as well as great-great-grandchildren and a host of relatives and friends.

Lena was preceded in death by her husband, Basil Murphy; her parents, William and Edith Douglas; infant daughter Donna Murphy, infant son Bobby Murphy , and son Jimmy Murphy; siblings Lura Jo Peck, LaVesta Easley, Lillie McDonald, and Maureen Douglas.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Hinton Community Health Fund, 123 E. Main St., Hinton, OK 73047

Service: First Christian Church, Friday, 2:00 PM, January 20, 2023, Hinton, OK

Officiating: Rev. Brandon Kittle

Burial: Hinton Cemetery, Hinton, OK, services entrusted to Turner Funeral Home, Hinton, Oklahoma. Condolences may be sent to the family at turnerfuneralhomes@gmail.com, turnerfh.net, or you can find us on facebook.com (Turner Funeral Homes).

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