North Penn Service Unit: Breaking News!

Following the  orders of Gov. Wolfe for the Commonwealth ,  all physical events & activities in the NPSU are suspended indefinitely.

Alice Murphy

You, my friend, should be cast in gold for the things you’ve done that will never be told.
For the dinners delayed by Girl Scout meeting, for the friendly smiles and cheerful greetings.
For the badge requirements no one wanted to do, which you insisted were important too.
For the meetings you led that went just as planned, with no on there to give you a hand.
For the magazines you sold and cookies you ate …….
For the camping gear packed, meals cooked on a grate…..
For the one more girl you absorbed in the troop, because she wanted to be in your group.
Tell me again how you lost your voice, was camping in the winter really your choice?
And wasn’t that you I saw shopping downtown, trying to keep up with twelve little clowns?
“Why do you do it?” you’re asked, “Who forced you to take on this year round task?”
Those innocent young faces really tell it all
And that’s why we’re hoping to see you next fall.
When you were made, they broke the mold,

If you’re ever re-cast - it will be in gold!






Kathleen Murphy's Words of Remembrance
(presented at Alice Murphy's Memorial Mass, 5/10/19)


"Hello everyone and thank you for coming. For those of you that may not know me, I’m Kathleen, the youngest of Alice and George’s children. I’m here today with my partner Jason, Alice’s granddaughter Bo, my sister Rosemary, her husband Scott and my brother George.

"Alice’s passing is a hard one. It wasn’t in our plan. It certainly wasn’t in her plan any time soon. It happened suddenly, and unexpectedly. May we all be reminded of how precious life is, and that we shall never know when it is our time. Faith held a large part of my mother’s heart, so while we may shed tears for her early departure, she would ask us to accept her parting with grace, for it was God’s plan for her.


"We’ve been tasked with cleaning out the house over the last few days, and you find things. You know how you jot down notes and quotes and post them somewhere you’d see daily? Well, she had one of those. Here’s the quote by Eleanor Roosevelt. “You cannot live for yourself alone. You depend on the rest of the world and the rest of the world depends on you.” That quote sums up how my mother lived each, and every day.


"I knew Alice as a mother. From the eyes of a child your mom is a super hero. But beyond my immediate world she was so much more. She had her own mommy and daddy, first kisses, first dances…. During a time when women didn’t typically go to college, she went for it and earned a degree. She was engaged to my father at 21 years of age and they cemented a love, a friendship and a family together. She was a wife and a mom that did all that a woman SHOULD do, plus she was emerging working mom. She was a scout leader, catechism teacher, charity worker and general organizer of any new community project that came her way. She taught us kids, independence, fierce independence. She was a leader of girl Scouts for over 50 years, being a role model for girls and women alike that she took very seriously.


"She was strict with manners, but she equally encouraged “fun.” A bit of be polite, do what’s right, get your elbows off the table, but heck, have a lot of fun along the way while you’re at it. There wasn’t much room for not doing your best, but there was plenty of room for learning from mistakes. When you fall down my mom would always be there to pick you up, talk through the tears and say – now, get going and try again. “You play rough, you get hurt.”

"She had an immense love for nature. She found peace in nature. From an early age she went the Philly Zoo with her mom. And she still loved going to the zoo for her entire life. She kept the elephant key to the Philadephia Zoo to share with her children and eventually to her grandchild. While we all giggled with her about her lackluster ability to remember people’s names, somehow she knew the name of every tree and every flower.


"She put the world before herself. Her purpose, her drive, her heart’s motivation, and her ultimate fulfillment, was to serve others. Be it serving God, her family, the girl scouts, her neighbors, the various charities… She served others. She served honestly, selflessly and with determination. At the core, she sought ways to educate and to empower individuals with the knowledge and they tools they needed to show up in the world. She lived by the Girl Scout Law – she made the world a better place.

"Alice and George would have been married 55 years as of last Saturday, the day before my mother passed. On my night of my father’s death the two of them planned their second wedding, in heaven. So, while we’re here, honoring the life of Alice Ann Murphy, the two of them might just be here with us, watching over as recent newlyweds in an eternal and celestial manner.

"Alice Murphy was a remarkable woman. Her legacy of love, laughter and adventure permeates many lives. Somehow she always had a solution. And it was solution that made sense. So, as we bring this to a close, here’s the thing. Next time you can’t figure out something, ask our yourself: what would Alice do?”




Gretchen's Reflection:
"The first time I met Alice was at Junior Essentials training in June 2000. I was 24 years old, newly living on my own and looking to get involved in the community through Girl Scouts. I always loved crafts and going to camp and singing and kids. I thought this would be a perfect way to give back.

"In the fall, I received my troop assignment.  I was told to report to Trinity to meet Alice (or as I called her until she corrected me enough times, Mrs. Murphy).  I was all in for scout fun but was not expecting what I received.

"Over the years that I lead with Alice, I learned so much. I frequently had the feeling of ‘Oh God, why does she think I know what I’m doing here??’.  She believed in me. She knew that I was capable of the task at hand and so much more.  She understood the importance of nurturing both girls and adults to become their best selves. 

"Some days, you don’t want to be your best self and she was always understanding and kind in those moments. She was there to remind you of the Girl Scout way. She often told me when my patience was short that I may be the one place where these girls are learning these lessons and getting this support. The road may not always be easy but it is so important to help the next generation of girls to be strong woman and value the sisterhood of Girl Scouting.

"She defined scouting for me. It is all of the moments. The times we sing, serve, camp and craft. The times we cry, talk and hug in parking lots. It’s the shared experience of leading and learning and supporting and connecting.  She showed us the way and we must carry on the energy and passion she brought out in all of us."


Lee's Reflection:
"Alice was a wonderful woman who gave so much of herself and was very wise. I remember when she led the training for indoor camping certification, she had us rolling with her words of wisdom. One piece of advice I never forgot was her suggestion to get the cell phone numbers of the parents not the home phone for contact information when you are planning a camping trip. Why? Because, “you know if their daughter(s) are away, the parents won’t stay home!” Ha! She was so right!! 

"She helped me with all the NutE and cookie website snafus when I was ready to throw my laptop out the window. Sometimes just getting to the correct screen was a nightmare. But she would patiently walk you through it over and over every year.  I will miss her!"


Michele's Reflection:
"Saying goodbye feels so final. There's no "later". No "next time". No "when". Goodbye is the door closing, the dust settling, the book complete. No matter how prepared we think we may be, saying goodbye to those we love is a task for which we are rarely, if ever, ready, and, yet, it is a constant in life.
"Today, the world said goodbye to a legend. I met Alice at a Girl Scout training she led, where she was less than amused when I walked in (2 minutes!) late. Although I didn't know it then, Alice would become one of my closest friends. Over these years, we have laughed, cried, and celebrated together. When I needed a kick in the backside, she was more than happy to tell me to put on my big girl panties and do my job. When I decided to teach part time and was worried about leaving the kids for a few hours a day, she promised me they would be fine (and that I would be, too). This last year, she would often pop into the coffee shop when she knew I would be writing and editing, just to talk. On our last meet up there, I gave her the first third of my current draft because she was curious about what I spent my time working on. When I lamented that the edits were taking their toll, she gave me one of her smiles, told me that I was amazing, and that I would figure out a way because that was just who I was. I don't know if she ever had a chance to read it, but it makes the effort worthwhile as I finish it up because, in that moment, it wasn't just important to me. I was supposed to meet her this week and, instead, I was at her funeral today. The idea of sitting down in the coffee shop, knowing she won't just pop in with a "I wondered if I'd catch you today", makes my breath catch.

"So many of us carry on Alice's legacy as we continue the scouting that she embraced so many years ago. I'm grateful that Maya has her special "sister, Mrs Murphy" and I'm sorry that Ana won't remember her and the snuggles they shared. And I'm sorry for all of us, because we will never have another Alice.

"If our tears could have brought you back, then we would be having a glass of wine tonight, talking about all the crazy day to day details of life. But instead of letting the ache I feel overwhelm me, I will smile knowing that you are sipping your pink next to your sweet George. Goodbye, dear friend. May the road rise."



Dessie's Reflection:
"Five years ago, Alice Murphy decided to retire from leading her famous Troop 71037. To honor her we made t-shirts with Alice the Camel and took the troop’s picture in front of the camel at the Philly Zoo during our year end trip.
"This year, Alice decide to retire from her active Girl Scout volunteer role. She told us she would be here if we needed her, but she wanted to be able to spend more time with her family. To honor her we planned a couple of different things, all to be announced to her next week at the last leader meeting of the year.
"Last weekend, Alice retired in a way that none of us expected and today we put to rest the body that housed the soul of this incredible woman. Our grief is overwhelming, but we take comfort in the knowledge that she and her beloved George are together again.
"Alice is the reason that so many of us had joined and continue in the Girl Scouts. Alice is the reason we take a step a back, rethink our actions and take the high road. Alice is an inspiration to us all and the memory of her tireless sprit and selfless actions will always live on.
"Ride, Alice, Ride."



To share a memory or photograph, please email Michele.

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