Sr. Anne Marie Murphy, IHM, age 80, died Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, surrounded by her loving family and IHM Sisters.
Sr. Anne Marie was born on Long Island, New York, 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, Sr. Felice.
Sr. Anne Marie earned a bachelor’s degree from Marygrove College and master's degrees from Wayne State University. She taught at Gesu in 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. Sr. Anne Marie was committed to learning and integrating practices to improve health care for the poor, the handicapped and aging populations.
For many years, Sr. 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, Sr. Anne Marie earned a master’s degree in library science. She became director of the Alphonsus Liguori Library on campus and completed a major reorganization of the library and conservation of materials.
Sr. Anne Marie resided in Syracuse and Buffalo, New York, the Detroit area, and, most recently, Monroe, living 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.
Sr. 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. Burial will follow in 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.
Obituaries for clergy and religious who have lived or served in the Archdiocese of Detroit may be emailed to [email protected]. Obituaries are printed as they are submitted, but may be edited for grammar and style. Detroit Catholic reserves the right to refuse or edit any submissions.

