Joan Patricia Murphy

Joan Patricia Murphy (née O'Malley; 1936/1937 – September 18, 2016) was an American Democratic politician and member of the Cook County Board of Commissioners, representing the 6th district which is located in the Chicago Southland.

Joan Patricia Murphy
Member of the Cook County Board of Commissioners from the 6th district
In office
December 2002 (2002-12) – September 18, 2016 (2016-09-18)
Preceded byWilliam Moran
Succeeded byEdward Moody
Personal details
Born
Joan Patricia O'Malley

1936/1937
South Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Died (aged 79)
Crestwood, Illinois, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse
Donald Francis Murphy
​
​
(m. 1973⁠–⁠2016)​
Children4
Alma materUniversity of Massachusetts

Biography

Murphy was born Joan Patricia O'Malley in South Boston, Massachusetts, one of four siblings born to Concetta (née Fama) and Michael O'Malley. She graduated from State Teachers College (now University of Massachusetts, Boston).[1]

From 1965 to 1969 she was the elected clerk of the Village of Crestwood, and later the elected clerk for Worth Township. She went on to be the elected Supervisor for Worth Township.[1] In 1986, Murphy ran in the election to be a member of the Cook County Board of Commissioners from suburban Cook County. While successful in winning the primary to be one of the Democratic Party's nominees, she failed to win election in the general election.[2]

In 1994, when the Cook County Board of Commissioners switched to single-member districts, she ran unsuccessfully to represent its 6th district, losing to Republican Bud Fleming.[3][4][5][6]

In 2002 she won election to represent the 6th district of the Cook County Board of Commissioners. She was reelected in 2006, 2010, and 2014.

Murphy was Chairperson of the Labor Committee and of the Finance-Labor Committee. She was Vice-Chairperson of the Finance-Real Estate Committee and the Zoning and Building Committee. Additionally, Murphy served on 13 committees: Administration, Business and Economic Development, Education, Litigation, Tax Delinquency, Stroger and Cermak Hospitals, Oak Forest Hospital, Provident Hospital, Legislation and Intergovernmental Relations, Health and Hospitals, Finance, Zoning and Buildings, and Roads and Bridges. Murphy led a fight against supervisors taking mandated, unpaid furlough leave.[7]

Death

Murphy died on September 18, 2016, from breast cancer.[1] She was 79 years old.[8][9]

References
  1. Schmadeke, Steve (September 18, 2016). "Joan Murphy, Cook County commissioner, longtime politician dies at 79". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2016-09-19.
  2. "OFFICIAL FINAL RESULTS GENERAL ELECTION COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS" (PDF). voterinfo.net. November 4, 1986. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 3, 2008.
  3. Ziemba, Stanleyriter; Neumann, Janice (November 1, 2001). "County Board contest big draw". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved October 14, 2020.
  4. "ENDORSEMENTS FOR COOK COUNTY BOARD". chicagotribune.com. March 3, 1994. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  5. "Candidate Details". elections.il.gov. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  6. "ENDORSEMENTS FOR COOK COUNTY BOARD". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. October 27, 1994. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  7. Cook County Commissioner, Joan Murphy, on refusing to take mandated unpaid furlough leave, wgnradio.com, September 22, 2011. Archived March 20, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  8. Traut, Lauren (September 18, 2016). "Cook County Commissioner Joan Murphy Dies". Patch. Retrieved 2016-09-18.
  9. Seidel, Jon (September 18, 2016). "Commissioner Joan Murphy dies at 79, fought cancer since 2012". Chicago Sun Times. Retrieved 2016-09-18.
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