Karen "Kay" (Obermeyer) Murphy died after a long illness on Thursday, October 9th at home in Lyme, NH. She was born in Boston, MA on August 1, 1938, the daughter of Alfred A. Obermeyer and Mary Alice Macdonald Obermeyer.

She is survived by her husband William and daughter Abigail of Lyme; daughter Amanda and husband William Wilkerson of Dickerson, MD; daughter Cynthia and friend Virgil Boyd of Hollywood, FL; son Norman and wife Gina and children Jacob and Noah of San Angelo, TX; sister Jean Pearson of Laconia; sister Gretchen and husband Robert Droesch of Canterbury, CT; sister-in-law Dorothy Adams of Plainfield; and brother-in-law James Murphy and wife Marilyn of Erie, PA; as well as many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her parents, her brother Edward (Ned), brothers-in law Dana Pearson and George Adams, and infant daughter Gabrielle.

Kay attended public schools in Newton, MA and graduated with honors from Newton High School in 1956. She graduated with honors from The New England Deaconess Hospital School of Nursing in 1959, serving as student body president her final year. She married Bill in 1960, and they moved to Hanover in 1961 where she was an instructor at the Mary Hitchcock Hospital School of Nursing. At various times she worked for New England Deaconess Hospital, Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital, Pearce Studios, The Lyme Congregational Church, the town of Lyme, and Hanover Terrace. After moving to Lyme in 1964, Kay was involved in many community groups including a young mothers group, the first kindergarten, 4-H, and Lyme Home Health Agency; she served as community youth director, church youth director, Sunday school teacher, and Outreach Committee member; and she quietly worked behind-the-scenes at many school, community, and church activities. In her "spare time" Kay enjoyed gardening, reading, and taking car trips to explore the area. She spent numerous hours tending the equine, feline, and canine members of the family, and she always seemed to make room for "just one more."

Kay will be remembered as the rock upon which her family was built. She made her children a family, a house a home; she listened to sorrows and to successes; she packed lunches; attended events; she was in the background providing the support so others could succeed; she was the nurse you wanted beside your bed when sick; she cooked for church and sports teams; washed, ironed, and mended for home and for church pageants; was an excellent cook who brought the ingredients for family fun to Goose Pond; and when the day was over and everyone else was in bed, she fell asleep with her most recent library book in her hands; she was our model of selfless love and service.

The family wishes to express its gratitude to Dr. Elizabeth Bradley, Dr. Stephen Lee, and the many care providers who cared for Kay during her long illness.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Upper Valley Humane Society or a charity of one's choice.

There will be a memorial service for Kay at the Lyme Congregational Church on Tuesday, November 11, 2014 at 2pm.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Rand-Wilson Funeral Home of Hanover, NH.