IRMA MURPHY JEWELL
died peacefully March 7 at home, just the way she wanted it. She was born June 24, 1921, to Leta Taylor and Everett Mason Murphy in Fayetteville, Ark..
She grew up on the side of Mt. Sequoyah with her little brother, Bill. After graduating from Fayetteville High, she went to the University of Arkansas where she majored in Home Economics, worked in the library, and fell in love with Horace Jewell. She taught home economics for a year in Portageville, Mo., after college before moving to Little Rock as Director of Christian Education at First Methodist Church, where she married Horace in 1944. As the family grew out of its downtown duplex, they purchased a home in Hillcrest in 1948, where she has lived ever since.
The mother of five children, Irma worked with the PTA, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, and always volunteered at First United Methodist through the Women’s Society and the youth and children’s departments, as well as the church’s Child Development Center. She was an accomplished seamstress and embroidery artist, an avid casual photographer, and a willing carpool driver. When necessary, she could build a rabbit hutch or step in last minute, to accompany Cub Scouts on a 10-mile hike in a dress and flats.
When the house burned, she spent all her days working with the carpenters to redesign and rebuild our home back. That home was a sanctuary not only for family but also for friends, youth groups, choirs, med students, and hosts of swimmers. The home was also a gathering place for the large Jewell family at Christmas, with the mantel and windows decked out with around forty personalized red Christmas stockings, and in the library window, a tree which every year Mother declared was the prettiest one ever.
A great delight for her was to travel all over the United States with Horace, often joined by his brothers and their wives. They enjoyed Texas bluebonnets, Colorado hot air balloon races (watching), trees changing in New England, waves lapping in Florida, and quiet weekends on Lake Catherine. The eight were solid companions and ice cream devotees. Grandchildren’s sports, theater, graduations, weddings and births were also cherished reasons to get in the car and go.
Mother was at real sports fan and rarely missed one of our games whether we were cheering for the Pulaski Heights Elem Cubs or playing for the Central High Tigers. Her true colors were seen on Razorback game days, attending the events or listening/watching at home (watching on TV but listen to the playby-play on the radio for better announcers.) Her stats keeping was mind boggling.
She is predeceased by her husband. Horace Jewell; three infant children, Pat, Linda, and David; her grandson, Andrew Engborg; two sons-in-law, Louis Ederington and Rick Engborg. The rest of us are her children, Anne Ederington, Judy Jewell, Becky Engborg, Joe and Jan Jewell, and John Jewell and Shelley Djurica; grandchildren, Benjamin Ederington (Elizabeth Matthews), Josh Ederington (Jenny Minier), Emily Freeman Penfield (Matthew), David Freeman (Katie), Matt Jewell, Ryan Jewell (Sarah), Amanda Murphy (Chris), Mason Jewell, and Emma Jewell; and 13 great-grandchildren, Caroline and Eliza Penfield, Sam and Max Ederington, Emily and Hannah Freeman, Katherine, John, and Emily Matthews-Ederington, Ray, Ross, and Maxwell Jewell, and Noah and Peter Murphy. Just like family are Janet and Richard Harvey, who have made growing older much sweeter and kept it possible for Mother to continue to live in her beloved home on Fairfax.
The family has oceans of love and thanks to Kim, Sandra, Sharon and all the caregivers from SeniorKare over Mother’s last few years.
Irma’s life will be celebrated at First United Methodist Church on Tuesday, March 14 at 1:00 with a reception to follow. Because of her devotion to that church, the family invites those who wish to donate in her name to do so toward the Habitat for Humanity Fund at First United Methodist Church, 723 Center St., Little Rock, Ark. 72201, or to Heifer Project International. Arrangements are directed by RuebelFuneralHome.com