Mrs. Eileen M. Murphy

Eileen Marie Slattery Murphy, age 88, of Pittsfield, died peacefully at home on 30 November 2025. She was born in Manhattan on 21 October 1937 and grew up in the Bronx. She was the youngest child of Mary Haven and Maurice Cornelius Slattery and sister to brothers Buddy and Bobby. A true child of the Bronx, Eileen loved playing in St James Park after school and walking with her friends along the Grand Concourse, stopping for a treat at Sutter's Bakery. While attending St Barnabas High School, she excelled at baton twirling and graduated in 1955. Eileen then attended The College of Mount Saint Vincent, graduating in 1959. After graduation, she taught ESL to elementary school students in the Bronx. Never one to sit still, Eileen took classes at Hunter College until she met and married John J. “Jack” Murphy, also of the Bronx. They started their family in Yonkers, New York, (2 girls and 2 boys) and then in 1973 moved to Pittsfield and welcomed 2 more girls. Eileen worked as a substitute teacher at various schools in Pittsfield and later as a food demonstrator at Big Y supermarket. She loved camping with her family, especially in Savoy State Forest, and hiked often with her kids and the Berkshire Knapsackers. A lifelong lover of music, Eileen had always wanted to play the bagpipes, so after her 40th birthday, she joined the Berkshire Highlanders. This kicked off a long and fun hobby of being a piper. She was known for popping up with her pipes anywhere—schools, weddings, funerals, and birthdays. Eileen was exceedingly friendly and outgoing, speaking to anyone and everyone she met, with a happy-go-lucky nature and quick wit. She cherished being a Mother and homemaker and loved cooking and baking, especially her famous Irish soda bread. Eileen is survived by her children Mary (Brad), Betty Ann, Jimmy (Helen), Tommy (Martha), Peggy, and Nancy (Chirag) and grandchildren Althea, Sinéad, and Caleb Lamel; Amelia and Órla Murphy; Oona and Violet Patel; and great granddaughters Stella and Lenny. Funeral Notice: Funeral service for Eileen will be Tuesday, December 9, 2025, with a Liturgy of Christian Burial at 11am at St. Mark’s Church, celebrated by the Rev. John Salatino, Pastor. Burial will be at a later date. Calling hours will be Monday, December 8, 2025, from 4pm to 6pm at the Dwyer Funeral Home, 776 North Street, Pittsfield MA 01201. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory can be made to Meals on Wheels or Sisters of Charity in care of the Dwyer Funeral Home.

Mrs. Eileen M. Murphy

October 21, 1937 - November 30, 2025