Shirley Murphy '62
Shirley Murphy '62, assistant professor emerita of business, died June 8, 2019. She was 89.
A Skidmore alumna, Shirley joined the College as an instructor in 1962. She was named assistant professor in 1970 and also served as department chair. In addition to teaching management and business courses, Shirley served as vice president of the Skidmore chapter of the American Association of University Professors and contributed to the University Without Walls program. She retired in 1985.
“Shirley was a key person who helped transform an earlier era of the Business Department into what it represents today,” said associate professor emeritus Marty Canavan. “She held high expectations for faculty and loved to teach.”
Shirley was born on September 19, 1929. She earned her bachelor’s degree at Skidmore and her master’s degree from the State University of New York at Albany.
She was predeceased by her husband William Murphy. Survivors include two daughters, Smith Ann (Robert F.) Wright of Greenwich and Elizabeth J. (Seth) Murphy of Lake Oswego, Oregon; a son, Patrick (Christine) Murphy of Corinth, New York; five grandchildren, Mary, David, Joshua, Hannah and Hope; three great-grandchildren; a sister Beverly (John) Lyttle; a brother Milton E. (Betty) Skiff; several nieces and nephews.