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POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – Helen V. Murphy, a resident of Poughkeepsie, died Friday, June 24. She was 94.
Born Jan.19, 1922, in Poughkeepsie, she was the daughter of Thomas and Helen Czaplinski.
She graduated from Arlington High School and was a member of the National Honor Society. She attended the University of Oklahoma and the University of Florida at Coral Gables. She worked for the state Army Ordinance Division with an office at IBM until, in 1942, she joined the Women’s Army Corps in the U.S. Army. This later became the U.S. Air Force and she was an Air WAC.
She then worked for the U.S. Veterans Administration in Poughkeepsie until 1947, when she married Lt. Warren Murphy of Hopewell Junction, a U.S. Army Air Corps pilot, and went with him to Alaska.
Many other assignments followed including Japan, Germany and many of the United States. They had five daughters, most born in other states or countries. Her husband retired in 1969 as a lieutenant colonel in the Air Force; they then returned to the Poughkeepsie area.
Later, she became an active member of Arlington American Legion Post 1302 and for more than 25 years she had many officer positions, including being the first female commander of the Post.
She is survived by five daughters, Karen (Dennis) Kehoe, Linda Aron, Maryann (Joseph) Leonczyk, Kathleen (Mark) Langman and Patricia (Joseph) Maio; seven grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by her husband, Lt. Warren Murphy; four brothers, Charles, Frank, Thomas and Stanley Czaplinski; and two sisters, Marion Manda and Florence Lockhart.
Calling hours will be from 4-7 p.m. Tuesday at the Timothy P. Doyle Funeral Home, 371 Hooker Ave, Poughkeepsie. A prayer service will follow at 7 p.m. There will be a graveside service at 11 a.m. Wednesday in the Czaplinski family plot at Calvary Cemetery in Poughkeepsie.
In lieu of flowers, contributions to your favorite charity or to the American Legion Post 1302, 55 Overlook Road, Poughkeepsie, NY 12603 would be appreciated.
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