December 25, 2016

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year from Kurt and Teresa in Texas!
2016 was an Event-Full year indeed. The Murphy Clan grew by 4 personsthree new little
ones and one through marriage.
We welcomed: twins Cecilia and Dominic, born to Courtney and Nick, in Florida on
September 22Vivi is big sister; and Owen James, born to Emily and Berto on September 29.
On October 22, we celebrated the marriage of niece Katie and Israel in a lovely outdoor
wedding ceremony and reception in the woodland park here on the property. One more little
boy will join us by the end of January. We anxiously await his arrival, along with his parents,
nephew Doug and Amelia.

Dominic Link and Cecilia Ann

with Big Sister Vivienne Lace

Teresa & Kurt with

granddaughter Vivi

Katie & Israel

Owen James

The Walter Family with the newly weds

Mother and Dad Murphy celebrated milestone birthdays in 2016. Sixty

friends and family members joined in their 90th birthday bash held at
Becky and Earls home.
Great nephew Bennett turned
3 in April, Granddaughter Vivi
turned 3 in July and great
niece Larkin turned 6 in
October and started to
Kindergarten.
Sisters Carol, Becky, Libby and Teresa with Mother & Dad
Bennett and Larkin

In October, Kurt and I visited with friends and family in Marion, Illinois, Kurts hometown. We enjoyed a couple of MHS
reunions and the Annual Parker Pig Roast hosted by brother/sister team Ron Parker and Pat Parker Tank at their family retreat
in the Shawnee National Forest. We enjoyed visiting with Kurts cousin Marilyn and with his music teacher, Yolonde
Peterson and her husband Pete.

Continued on page 2

Page 2 of Kurt and Teresas Christmas Letter 2016

This year I continued to enjoy yoga classes two-three times a week and research for composing a Murphy-Ray family history
book. The latter included a trip to Corsicana, Texas and the Genealogical Library there and several cemeteries in north
central Texas; a side trip to Leesburg, Georgia after visiting with our great friend Bobbie and cousins Donna and Phil in
Marietta; and logging many hours on ancestry.com. New discoveries included finding the birthplace and
parentage of great grandfather Murphy to be from Maury County, Tennessee, not far from Nashville. A trip to
Maury County is now on my 'bucket list.
I also was delighted to rejoin the Chancel Choir at University Christian Church, Ft. Worth, in September. Its
been a privilege to sing again with longtime and new music friends under the exceptionally talented
leadership of Organist Kyla Rosenberger and Choirmaster Dr. Todd Prickett.
In 2016, we were saddened to say goodbye to our sweet orange tabby cat, Miss Ethel. She was a great pet
companion for over 17 years.

The Murphy family celebrated Thanksgiving Weekend 2016 at our family

retreatRock Bottom, Texas on the Guadalupe Riveras we have since
1980. The annual gathering includes a traditional Christmas shopping trip
to nearby Fredericksburg or Boerne (this year Fredericksburg won the
vote). The cypress tree, planted in nephew Joeys memory four years ago
on the bank of the river at Rock Bottom, continues to thrive.
Kurt and I look forward to a visit very soon with our Florida familyto
spend time with Courtney, Nick, Vivi, Cecilia and Dominic as well as
friends Stan and Caroland enjoy holiday celebrations with them.

May the Joy of the Christmas Season

Be with You And Yours Throughout the Coming Year!
What sweeter music can we bring
Than a carol for to sing
The birth of this our heavnly King?
Awake the voice! Awake the string!
Robert Herrick, 1591-1674
The Dream of St. Joseph by Philippe de Champaigne, 1642