Deborah Murphy

Deborah “Debbie” Lee Murphy (nee Schleig), age 74 of Coatesville, PA, passed away with her family at her side on December 23, 2025.

She was born in Coal Township, PA on July 24, 1951, and was preceded in death by her parents, Charles Herman and Edna (Tobias) Schleig.

After graduating from Shamokin High School in 1969, Debbie attended Millersville University of Pennsylvania (then named Millersville State College) and earned her degree in Education in 1973. While pursuing graduate work at Bloomsburg University, she began her career teaching elementary school in Shamokin.

She met her husband, Kenneth Murphy, in August 1974 and relocated to Delaware County, PA after they married on June 19, 1976. After substitute teaching for a few years, she started her career as a teacher’s aide at St. Timothy’s preschool in Aston, PA, followed by the Children’s Academy in Media, PA, and lastly Stay and Play, also in Media, PA, where Debbie retired in 2013.

They lived in Brookhaven from 1976-2009 and West Chester 2009-2012, before moving to Spring Run Estates, a 55+ community in June 2012. This coming June would have marked Ken and Debbie’s 50th wedding anniversary.

She is survived by her husband, Ken; her children, Erin Murphy Bushnell (Michael) of West Chester, PA, and Brett Murphy of Brooklyn, New York; and two loving grandchildren, Claire and Ian Bushnell.

A memorial service to honor Debbie will be held at a time and location to be determined; details will be provided at a further date. In lieu of flowers, her family asks that donations be made to Blood Cancer United (formerly The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society) https://diy.bloodcancerunited.org/fundraiser/6886800 or The Abramson Cancer Center http://givingpages.upenn.edu/DebbieMurphy in honor of Debbie.