Mary Elizabeth Murphy Wilson, 75, of Ocean Township, left us on July 19, 2022 at Jersey Shore University Medical Center.

Mary was born on November 7, 1946, to Dan and Lorraine Murphy in Maywood, NJ. She met her husband, Paul, on a high school bus trip to Washington D.C., in 1961. They were married August 23, 1969. She is survived by Paul, their two daughters, Jennifer Bowers and Meggan Bateman, and their five grandchildren: Ethan Bateman, Hannah Bowers, Daniel Bowers, Quinn Bateman, and Tess Bateman. She is also survived by her three younger siblings: Daniel Murphy, Colleen Sullivan, and Jane Boynton.

Mary often joked about being poison for Catholic schools. She attended Queen of Peace Grammar School in Maywood, NJ (now closed), Benedictine Academy in Paterson, NJ (also closed), and Dunbarton College of the Holy Cross in Washington D.C., (closed and sold to Howard Law School). She taught kindergarten at St. Mary’s Academy in Lakewood (now a Yeshiva).

She loved popular music; her favorites being Fleetwood Mac, the Roches, and Jackson Brown, among others. She was especially fond of Doo-Wop and would burst into song anytime she heard a familiar tune. She did not consider knowledge of the melody or lyrics necessary because she would ad-lib those  as she went along. The same for the key of the song; since she always defaulted to her own proprietary key – “the key of M”.

She was a devout pescatarian; eating mostly vegetables and the occasional shrimp or salmon – but only if well-well-well done “very dead,” as she would say. Despite this, she could always find room for a hamburger. (Don’t ask.) She limited her alcohol intake to Chardonnay spritzers, but only a non-oaky variety and diluted with flat – “no bubbles” – seltzer. (Again, don’t ask.)

Mary believed in the old adage that a stranger was a friend she hadn’t met yet. She would stop and talk to anyone, anywhere (which tended to drive her daughters and grandchildren up-a-wall.) No one worked a room like Mary. She could enter a crowd of strangers and by evening’s end, she would know everyone by name and all their most intimate secrets. And everyone would love her.

No one who knew Mary ever had a bad word to say about her. She was loved by all. She leaves behind a grieving family and a world full of friends.

A memorial service to celebrate her life will be announced and held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers the family has requested donations in memory of Mary to the American Brain Tumor Association, 8550 West Brynn Mawr Ave., Suite 550, Chicago, IL 60631

O’Brien Funeral Home, Wall Twp. is handling arrangements for the family.

To send condolences to the family, please visit www.obrienfuneralhome.com