Funeral Services for Bessie, 98, of Jefferson will be 10:30 am Friday, January 30, 2009 at Slininger-Rossow Funeral Home in Jefferson. Interment will be in the Jefferson Cemetery. Visitation will be after 12:00 noon on Thursday, January 29, 2009 at Slininger-Rossow Funeral Home in Jefferson with the family present to greet friends from 6 to 8 pm.

Bessie Murphy was born August 22, 1910, at Crookston, MN.  She was the daughter of Roy and Clara (Slyter) Murphy.  The family moved to Greene County in 1913.

Bessie attended Towers School in Highland Township near Churdan, IA and high school in Cooper, IA.  She received an honorary High School diploma, Class of 1928, from the Franklin Consolidated School which was awarded in 2006.

During WW II Bessie participated in the war effort by working as a welder at the Solar Aircraft Company in Des Moines, Iowa.  She also worked for Daubendiek Telephone Company as a telephone operator for a few years.  Following this employment she joined her brother, DeRoy, and sister Floy in farming in the Rippey area.

Bessie enjoyed family gatherings, gardening, and quilting.  She was known for her great hospitality to friends and neighbors.   She was known for her award winning pies receiving many blue ribbons.  She took great pride in helping family members in good times and bad.     

Bessie moved to Jefferson, Iowa in 1995, and subsequently moved to Regency Park Nursing Home in 2003. During her stay at Regency Park Nursing Home she was blessed to be befriended by Mary Weaver of Rippey and Margaret Jordan of Jefferson along with the Staff at Regency Park Nursing Home who provided comfort and understanding.

Bessie died peacefully at the Greene County Medical Center on January 27, 2009.

She was preceded in death by her parents Roy and Clara Murphy, three brothers, DeRoy Murphy, Jay Murphy, and Richard Murphy; two sisters, Grace Johnson and Floy Brown, and one nephew Wayne Brown.

Survivors include one sister, Wilma Lumsdon of Ottumwa, IA., John Murphy and wife Nancy of Portersville, PA.,  nieces, Ann Piepel and husband Jack of Afton, MN., Susan Blunt and husband Doug of Kansas City, MO., Elizabeth Stufflebeem of Ottumwa, IA., Claire Knolle and husband Mark of Marietta, OH., Megan Vance and husband Kevin of Natrona Heights, PA., and Beth Superdock and husband David of Neumanstown, PA., niece-in-law, Louise Brown of Denison, IA.,  and one nephew Dennis D.  Murphy and wife Terry of Jefferson, several great nieces and nephews, and many friends.