Marilyn O. Murphy
"Marilyn
Murphy is a feisty little grey-haired grandmother in her
early 60s who is quite capable of forming coalitions with
warring factions if necessary to achieve a worthwhile goal."
—Nancylee Ziese, 1983
Marilyn O.
Murphy has opened doors for others and serves as a role model for
many, often by being the first woman to serve in traditionally male
groups. She is an outstanding community volunteer and leader in
social services and human rights in the Sioux City area. Her ability
to achieve worthwhile objectives by forming coalitions from disputing
factions is remarkable. The extensiveness of her volunteer involvements
is evidenced by the variety of areas in which she has been effective:
crime prevention, day care, sexual assault and domestic violence,
drug abuse, juvenile justice, rural concerns/family farms, and civil
rights. Since 1973, she has been Social Concerns Facilitator for
Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Sioux City. She was the first
woman to serve on the Council of Community Services and the Iowa
Commission on Substance Abuse. She was also the first president
of the Community Action Agency and chaired the Sioux City Human
Rights Commission for three years. Murphy cofounded the Sioux City
Chapter of the Women's Political Caucus. Among the many community
service awards she has received are the Briar Cliff College Community
Service Alumni Award, Kiwanis Club Community Service Award, and
the Sioux City BPW Community Service Award. Murphy was inducted
into the Iowa Women's Hall of Fame in 1988.
Murphy received
the Cristine Wilson Medal for Equality and Justice in 2007.
UPDATE: Murphy
remains the social concerns facilitator for Catholic Charities
of the Diocese of Sioux City, and is also serving in the capacity
of Rural Life Contact for the Diocese. She serves on the boards
of directors of La Casa Latina, Legal Services of Iowa (Sioux
City Office), the Missouri River Historical Development Corporation,
and the Iowa Citizen Action Network. She is also a member of
the Diocesan Commission on Women, the Iowa Advisory Committee
to the U.S. Civil Rights Commission, and the Iowa Family Farm
Coalition. She has emphasized her participation in local, regional,
and statewide coalitions addressing the rural crisis. She has
produced five videos in the past six years, one in English
and Spanish on domestic violence titled Love Shouldn’t Hurt;
two in English and Spanish on child sexual abuse titled Trust
Shouldn’t Betray and Healing the Wounded Spirit;
and Reclaiming Our Rural Heritage: Responding to the Rural
Crisis and Women: A Wellspring of Strength in the 21st
Century Church. Murphy was active in her local campaign
for the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment.
|
