Sister Anne Marie Murphy, IHM, age 80, died Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, surrounded by her loving family and IHM Sisters.
Sister Anne Marie was born on Long Island, New York on Feb. 15, 1946. Her parents, Patrick and Bernice (Delehanty) Murphy, moved to Michigan and raised Anne and her sister Mary Jane. Anne attended Holy Name and Sacred Heart schools in Birmingham and graduated from Marian High School, a sponsored school of the IHM Sisters. At age eighteen, she entered the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (Monroe) and received the religious name, Sister Felice.
Sister Anne Marie earned a bachelor’s degree from Marygrove College, and master’s degrees from Wayne State University. She taught at Gesu, Detroit and Marian High School before pursuing nursing as her primary ministry. As a licensed registered nurse and nurse practitioner, she held positions in Syracuse, New York, at St. Joseph Hospital, Upstate Medical Center, and Loretto Geriatric Center. In the Detroit area, she ministered at Madonna Nursing Center, Detroit Medical Center, Sinai Hospital, and the Veterans Administration Medical Center. Sister Anne Marie was committed to learning and integrating practices to improve health care for the poor, the handicapped and aging populations.
For many years, Sister Anne Marie’s nursing served the IHM community in St. Mary Infirmary/St. Mary Health Care Center, Monroe Campus. She was steadfast in her care of aging members and continued to study the physical and emotional issues of gerontology.
In the 2000s, Sister Anne Marie earned a master’s degree in library science. She became director of the Alphonsus Liguori Library on campus and led a major reorganization of the library and materials conservation.
Sister Anne lived in Syracuse and Buffalo, New York; the Detroit area; and, most recently, Monroe, in a community house that also served as a place of welcome for women interested in religious life. When her health changed, she moved to the Motherhouse and continued her library ministry.
Sister Anne Marie is survived by her sister Mary Jane Forbes and her IHM Sisters in community.
Services will be held at the IHM Motherhouse Chapel, 610 W. Elm Avenue, Monroe, on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026. The Nightingale Tribute begins at 9 a.m., followed by a Remembering and Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. Streaming begins at 10 a.m. The burial will take place at St. Mary Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of Rupp Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to the IHM Retirement Fund, 610 W. Elm Avenue, Monroe, MI 48162-7909.