Joecille (Ayer) Murphy, 83, Associated with Skelley Motor Co.

Joecille (Ayer) Murphy, 83, of Atkinson, N.H., died peacefully at her home Thursday, July 21. She was the wife of the late Donald M. Murphy, past president of Skelley Motor Company in Haverhill.

Born in Boston, Murphy was raised in Kingston, Mass., and graduated from Kingston High School in 1952. Upon graduation, Murphy later received her nursing degree from the Framingham Union Hospital in 1956. She was employed as a nurse for the Framingham Union until she met her husband Donald at a dance in Lowell. Married in September, 1957, they raised their family in Atkinson, N.H. She returned to the nursing profession years later as a nurse in the Hampstead, N.H., school district. Over the years Murphy was active in the community as a member of the Atkinson Garden Club and Atkinson Congregational Church. She also served as a board member for the Center for Life Management in Salem, N.H., and Girl’s Inc. of Greater Haverhill. She spent many winters in Englewood, Fla., enjoying the sunshine and collecting sea shells on the beach.

She is survived by her four children Carol McAllister and her husband Max of North Kingston, R.I., David Murphy and his wife Ellyn of Atkinson, N.H., Susan Murphy of New York City and her son Steven Murphy and his wife Maureen of Atkinson, N.H.; grandchildren, Cassidy, Carly, Timothy and Daniel; sister Diana Carlson of New Milford, Conn.; and several nieces and nephews. She was the mother of Pamela Murphy who passed away in 1997, and twin sister of Juliette Ayer who passed away in 2004.

Services under the direction of Dole, Childs and Shaw Funeral Home, 148 Main Street, Haverhill are private, and there will be no visitation. Interment at Atkinson Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to Girl’s Inc. of Greater Haverhill, 7 Williams Street, Haverhill, MA 01830.