Suzanne Murphy

STURBRIDGE: Dr. Suzanne M. Murphy, 79, passed away peacefully on Saturday, January 13th with her loving family by her side. She was the daughter of Gerald and Florence (Lamoureux) Murphy. She will be lovingly missed by her sons Benjamin Ribaudo and his wife, Nicole, of Bridgewater, NJ, and Peter Ribaudo and his wife, Jamie, of Sturbridge where Suzanne resided for the last 7 years; her 9 precious grandchildren: Hayden, Drew, Riley, Aaron, Cole, and Emma of Bridgewater, and Keelan, Michael, and Harper of Sturbridge.; her siblings and their in-laws: Roger and Ruth Murphy, Peter and Lorri Murphy, Janet and Marvin Kay, Carol and Jack Pisinski, Peter and Kathy Allaire, Dennis and Denise Allaire, Lora Maloney, and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and cherished friends.  Suzanne was predeceased by her parents, her step-mother, Elodie, and her brother, Paul Allaire.

Suzanne was raised in Auburn and graduated from Auburn High School, where she created life-long friendships, including her best friend, Lynda Wik.  Suzanne graduated from Hunter College earning her Master of Social Work and then at the age of 61, earned her Doctorate of Philosophy Social Welfare, from The City University of New York.  Education was always a priority for Suzanne and she would immerse herself into a variety of topics, including: addiction and disease, history, art and literature, and most recently, diving head first into podcasts.  Suzanne developed a large network of friends and colleagues through her professional career and through her traveling adventures in the US and abroad.  She impacted many lives; sharing personal experiences, stories about family, and her geographical journeys.

Suzanne championed the empowerment of girls and women.  She was a mentor to countless people in her life, teaching and modeling how to be an exceptional social worker, an open and accepting friend and confidant, and an unconditionally loving mother.  She embodied unconditional love like no other.  Suzanne was unique in her own small ways, openly voiced her opinions, listened to others without judgment, a wonderful storyteller, and witty.  She was by far the best listener; calming and reflective.  She also had a wild side which included rollerblading, skydiving, fostering the alphabet of dogs while living in Brooklyn, dying her famous streak of purple in her hair, ensuring her nails were always painted, and being the life of the party.

In 2004, when Suzanne became a Memere, this was the beginning of her most delightful and endearing golden years.  She was enamored with her grandchildren and spent as much time as possible with each and every one of them.  She vacationed to the oceans of Rhode Island and the lakes of Maine with her family, taking pictures, eating the best meals, and walking the sandy beaches.  Her favorite place was Coco Beach in Florida.  Family was everything to her and her Friday lunches with her brothers and their wives maintained their lifelong bonds as siblings.

Suzanne will be tremendously missed but her impact on everyone she touched will last forever.  Forever in our hearts.  Love you more. Suzanne's ashes will be spread at all of her favorite places to forever be a part of her life's journey.

The J.Henri Morin & Son Funeral Home, Spencer, MA is assisting the family with arrangements. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Second Chance Animal Services Adoption Center: P.O. Box 136, East Brookfield, MA 01515 or Dana Farber Cancer Institute, PO Box 849168, Boston, MA 02284