Phyllis Veronica Murphy of Hampton Bays Dies August 8 - 27 East

Phyllis Veronica Murphy of Hampton Bays Dies August 8

icon 1 Photo
Phyllis Veronica Murphy

Phyllis Veronica Murphy

authorStaff Writer on Oct 7, 2024

Phyllis Veronica Murphy of Hampton Bays died on August 8. She was 88.

Born on February 20, 1936, she spent most of her life in the community of Paradise in Hampton Bays, waking up each morning to the picturesque views of Shinnecock Bay from her home at the Hobbystones estate.

She was a loving wife, mother, sister, and loyal friend. She was first married to Robert Kent Utsch, who predeceased her. She later remarried to Gary Robert Murphy, who also died before her. Her family was a blended one, including her daughters Joanne Ferreira and Paula Hoshyla, and her stepsons Sean Murphy and the late Gary Murphy Jr.

Throughout her life, she held various career roles, including as a Ma Bell operator, waitress at the Hampton Bays Diner, bank teller, school bus driver and coach, and estate caretaker. She also devoted many years to running a daycare out of her home.

She was the oldest sibling of the Irish Hickey clan, and is survived by her sisters Eileen Rittman, Patricia Kissane, and Gail Ertel; 15 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; as well as 20 nieces and nephews.

Her life was dedicated to glorifying God and sharing the grace of Jesus with all those she encountered, her family said, noting that she was renowned for her selfless, sacrificial spirit and her ability to make everyone feel welcomed and loved in her presence.

A memorial service celebrating her life will be held on October 12, from 2-4 p.m., at the Southampton Full Gospel Church in Southampton. Services are being handled by the Scott-Rothwell Funeral Home in Hampton Bays.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that any charitable donations be made to Mission Reach Out Haiti through the Southampton Full Gospel Church (missionreachout.org) or to the Jacksonville Women’s Rehab in Jacksonville, Florida (jacksonvillewomensrehab.com).

You May Also Like:

A Trailblazer: Professor Karl Grossman Retires, but the Work Continues

Inside The Cleveland Press newsroom of the 1960s, one word sent Karl Grossman running: “Copy!” ... 11 Jul 2025 by Michelle Trauring

Federal Funding for Public Media Is Close to Becoming a Thing of the Past | 27Speaks Podcast

President Donald Trump issued an executive order on May 1 instructing the Corporation for Public ... 10 Jul 2025 by 27Speaks

Developer Proposes 40 Affordable Apartments, Retail Stores in Riverside, Seeks $2.4M Grant From Southampton

An affordable housing developer who has worked with Southampton and East Hampton towns on several ... by Michael Wright

Korey Williams, Longtime Teacher and Lifetime Westhampton Beach Hurricane, Retires After 32 Years

Some teachers spend their entire career at one school. For a select few, they spend ... 9 Jul 2025 by Dan Stark

Let's Make a Deal

Since his swearing-in in January 2023, U.S. Representative Nick LaLota hasn’t faced a series of votes that rivaled the recent domestic spending package, which he played a significant role in pushing through Congress and onto President Donald Trump’s desk. It gave him a notable win: He proudly says he delivered on his promise to 1st District voters that he would get a reprieve on the federal government’s cap on the state and local tax deduction, or SALT. Ultimately, that’s true, with an asterisk. But it’s fair for voters to ask: At what price? Did a single-minded focus on this goal ... by Editorial Board

Stony Brook Medicine, UnitedHealthcare Reach New 3-Year Deal To Maintain Coverage

Stony Brook Medicine and UnitedHealthcare have inked a new three-year contract that will maintain coverage of visits to Stony Brook Southampton Hospital and Meetinghouse Lane Medical physicians for those with UnitedHealthcare or Oxford insurance plans. The agreement was announced just a day before the expiration of a temporary extension of the previous agreements announced in June, when the state’s largest insurer began notifying its customers that Stony Brook’s hospitals and doctors would be out of network coverage soon. “There will be no interruption in coverage for any of our United/Oxford patients,” Stony Brook announced in a statement this week. “We ... by Michael Wright

GOP-Backed Candidates Knock Democrats Off Working Families Party Line in Primary Shake-Up

Absentee ballots that came in after last month’s primary voting bumped Democratic Party candidate Tom Neely from the Working Families Party line for the November ballot. Even though Neely had a one-vote lead after ballots from early voting and the June 17 primary day were tallied, 11 additional absentee ballots, which all went to challengers Ieshia Galicia and Andrew Smith, put the two first-time political candidates over the top for the tiny party’s line with 23 and 21 votes, respectively. A Working Families Party challenger to the Working Families Party’s official endorsement for town clerk, Mark Bernardo, had trailed his ... by Michael Wright

PSEG 'Storm Hardening' Power Lines in East Quogue This Summer

Crews from PSEG-Long Island will be conducting “storm-hardening” work on electrical transmission lines and circuits in East Quogue throughout the remainder of the summer as part of the company’s Power On initiative to improve reliability and resiliency in the face of severe storms. Crews will be replacing and upgrading mainline circuits along Spinney Road between Lewis Road and Serenity Place, along Lewis Road between Old Country Road and Quogue-Riverhead Road and on Damascus Road. The work is expected to take about two months to complete, PSEG said. “PSEG Long Island is committed to strengthening the electric infrastructure and improving reliability ... by Staff Writer

Southampton Adopts Hampton Bays Rezoning That Kills Cannabis Biz

The Southampton Town Board unanimously approved a sweeping rezoning of a swath of Montauk Highway ... by Michael Wright

Former Trustee Robin Brown Alleges Discrimination, Defamation, Files Complaint Against Southampton Village Ethics Board

Former Southampton Village Board member Robin Brown — who lost her seat on the board ... by Cailin Riley