Mary Joan (”Mary Jo”) Murphy King, 89, passed away peacefully in her sleep on February 5, 2023. Her final weekend was spent with her children during which time Mary Jo was quick with the quips and expressed gratitude for her family.
Mary Jo was born on June 2, 1933, the second of two children born to Harold John and Ruby Mary Murphy. She grew up in Minnesota and attended graduate school in California. In California, she met her future husband, Charles William King, on a blind date and after only four dates, they married on July 5, 1962. In the course of their 50 year marriage, Mary Jo and Charles lived in seven different cities and traveled to six continents. They welcomed three children, all born when they lived in Houston, Texas, and retired to Kerrville, Texas in the mid-1990s.
Mary Jo was proudly 100[%] Irish. She and Charles hosted epic St. Patrick’s Day parties when they lived in Houston and she shared her love of Ireland with him during a trip to the Emerald Isle. She played tennis, golf and dabbled in yoga. Mary Jo taught her children the importance of volunteerism. She volunteered at their schools, at the church, at the Taping for the Blind and Dyslexic, at St. Vincent De Paul Thrift Shop and helped with fundraising for numerous causes. Friends and family around the country have works of art Mary Jo created in the mediums of ceramics and needlework. Her apartment was reminiscent of an art gallery with her needlework adorning the walls.
Mary Jo was preceded in death by her husband, Charles; her parents; and her brother, John Murphy.
She is survived by her children, Jennifer (Andrew) Dimas, Tracy King, Christopher (Lori) King; and seven grandchildren, Ryan King, Kyle Wurzel, Collin (Mikaela) King, Dylan Wurzel (fiancée Danielle Martinez), Chelsea King, Claire King and David King.
A rosary service will be held at 6 PM, Wednesday February 8th at Grimes Funeral Chapels in Kerrville.
A funeral mass will be held at Notre Dame Parish in Kerrville where Mary Jo was a long time parishioner and volunteer for many years. Mass will be on Thursday February 9th at 9am. Burial to follow at Garden of Memories in Kerrville.
