Sister Sherrey Murphy, OSF
Born: June 15, 1942
Entry: September 5, 1965
Professed: August 22, 1968
Died: January 8, 2026
Our fellow Sister in the U.S. Canonical House, Sister Sherrey Murphy, OSF, Hospital Sister of the Third Order Regular of St. Francis, was called home to the Lord, our God.
Do not ask me to abandon or forsake you for wherever you go I will go, wherever you lodge I will lodge, your people shall be my people, and your God my God.
(Ruth 1:18)
Our Sister Sherrey Murphy was called home to God unexpectedly at 8:20 am on Thursday, January 8, 2026, with several Sisters and employees at her side.
This daughter of 100 percent lrish heritage was a Sister of faith, compassion, courage, and a sense of humor who lived her life rooted in service, humility, and love. This girl from South Dakota became a world traveler from 1994 to 2018 in her service to the Sisters of your international congregation. Wherever she went, she embodied the Franciscan spirit – listening deeply, leading gently, and advocating tirelessly with an unshakeable trust in God’s providence. Sister Sherrey’s life was a testament to the blessing of a vocation lived fully. She mentored countless Sisters and strengthened ministries in Germany, Poland, the USA, Japan, and lndia. Her global vision never outshone her personal kindness; she remained attentive to each Sister, believing that everyone she encountered was a gift.
As a nurse, leader, General Councilor, and 10th General Superior, she was grounded in prayer, guided by discernment, and marked by humility. She led not for her own honor, but in obedience to the call of the Church and for the good of the congregation. She formed and encouraged generations of Sisters, reminding them that religious life is first and always a response to God’s love.
Sister Sherrey (age 83) was born in Mitchell, SD, on June 15, 1942, the daughter of Francis A. and Eileen A. (Dunn) Murphy. She entered the Hospital Sisters of St. Francis on September 5, 1965, and professed her first vows on August 22, 1968.
Sister Sherrey’s religious life encompassed a variety of ministries. Most notably, she served the international congregation of the Hospital Sisters of the Third Order Regular of St. Francis in Muenster, Germany, as the General Superior from 2006-18 and as a General Councilor from 1994-2006. Before this, she held responsibilities in administration, vocations, and formation at St. Francis Convent, along with nursing and administration responsibilities at St. Vincent Hospital (Green Bay, WI), St. John’s Hospital (Springfield, IL), and St. Mary’s Hospital (Decatur, IL).
Sister Sherrey was a 1963 graduate of St. Joseph Mercy School of Nursing, Sioux City, IA. She earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Marillac College in 1970 and a master’s degree in administration from the University of Notre Dame In 1988.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a brother, James Murphy. She is survived by her sisters, Colleen Moerke and Peggy Fischer; her brothers, Patrick, Michael, and Daniel; several nieces, nephews, and great-nieces and greatnephews.
The Visitation will be held at St. Francis Convent from 4-7 p.m. on Sunday, January 11, 2026, with a Wake Service at 6 p.m. The Eucharistic Celebration and Rite of Christian Burial will be celebrated by Father Richard Chiola on Monday, January 12, 2026, in the St. Clare of Assisi Adoration Chapel with burial in Crucifixion Hill Cemetery at St. Francis Convent. Butler Funeral Home will oversee arrangements. Sister Sherrey’s life continues in the eternal embrace of the God she served so faithfully. May she rest in peace, may her example continue to guide and inspire all of us who follow the Franciscan path of service, compassion, and love, and may her lrish eyes always smile upon us.
