Patricia Morrissey Murphy Forbes, 81

August 07, 2015

Patricia Morrissey Murphy Forbes, 81, born in Forest Hills, New York March 16, 1934 to Raymond L. and Helena M. Morrissey, passed away August 7, 2015. Patricia was the youngest of three daughters. Her sisters, Suzanne and Jane, predeceased her. Her father was an executive with the Ford Motor Company.

Mrs. Forbes resided in Lancaster, PA. She grew up in Forest Hills and Grosse Pointe, Michigan, where she attended Catholic schools. She was first married to John Murphy then to the late Kenneth P. Forbes, a Long Island newspaper publisher. They lived in Westhampton Beach, Long Island and Hughesville, PA.

Mr. Forbes began his career in acting, a passion shared by young Patricia. She caught the attention of legendary actress Julie Harris, who sponsored her for The Actors Studio. Motown’s Barry Gordy had hopes she might pursue a career as a singer but her love of family and her children took precedence.

Patricia had a passion for the visual arts. Favorite subjects included John Lennon and Rasputin, of whom she did a drawing for Juilliard artistic director Frank Corsaro. Her work includes the program art of a September 2001 production of Eugene O’Neill’s Before Breakfast in Lower Manhattan.

Her artistic sense extended to her prolific crocheting of richly colored afghans that she regarded as large canvases. She made gifts of them to the homeless and to family, who treasure them as keepsakes of her abiding warmth.

She was the proud mother of Caroline (Casey) Forbes and Jay, Christopher, Todd, Stephen and Noel Murphy; and Casey’s wife, Melissa Budney, whom she considered a daughter; stepchildren Ken Jr. and Michael Forbes and Jill Forbes Stubbs. She leaves behind numerous loving grandchildren and great-grandchildren, all beneficiaries of her astute love of books. Her cat, Ollie, gave her special joy and companionship.

All her life Patricia was a devout, practicing Roman Catholic. She was professed as a Third Order Carmelite. She called Saint Leo Catholic Church in Lancaster her spiritual home.

The Vigil and Visitation is 6 to 7:30 PM, with a Rosary at 7:30 PM on Tuesday August 11, 2015, at the Charles F. Snyder Jr. Funeral Home & Crematory, 3110 Lititz Pike, Lititz, PA 17543. A Mass of Christian burial in celebration of her life will be 11 AM Wednesday August 12, 2015, at Saint Leo the Great Catholic Church, 2427 Marietta Ave., Lancaster, PA 17601, with Rev. Peter I Hahn as Celebrant. Mrs. Forbes will be laid to eternal rest at Saint Joseph New Catholic Cemetery, Lancaster. Memorial contributions may be made to Water Street Ministries, PO Box, 7267, Lancaster, PA 17604.