Sandra Lee Murphy-Stites
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Sandra took the hand of Jesus and entered into her eternal rest on the afternoon of July 7th. She was born in Ness City, KS where she lived on her family farm with parents Lloyd and Elma Stieben and brother Stan. She graduated from Ness City High School with honors, loved singing in the choir and won a State Solo Contest. She also played the piano. She attended Emporia State Teachers College and then worked in Estes Park, CO during the summer to attend the Univ. of Denver. Married in 1957 to Zatis Murphy who died in 1996. Born were Charlene, Sheryl and Robert. She worked in Cy-Fair ISD as a teacher's aide. She was an excellent seamstress and wonderful cook! She sang in her church choirs while attending Cypress United Methodist Church and Foundry United Methodist Church. She was a Stephen Minister in the Foundry Methodist Church. She lost her first husband to cancer in 1996 and married her surviving husband John Stites. They thoroughly enjoyed their retirement years together traveling all across the US to see all of their family members, grandchildren and friends. Sandra loved to keep up with every person in our families, their birthdays, graduations and many special events. In the year 2015 her second daughter Sheryl developed stage four breast cancer who preceded her in death. John and Sandra then moved their RV to Huntsville, TX making it their 2nd home. While there they attended Huntsville First United Methodist Church making it their second church home. She always brought a spark and smile to a room, she never complained about anyone or anything, she had such grace and inner strength and just the right words and instructions if we needed it. She will be greatly missed.
She is survived by her husband John, brother Stan & wife Patty, daughter Charlene, son Robert, stepson Jeff & Steve, step daughter Kim, 11 grandchildren & four great grandchildren.
A visitation will be held on Monday, July 13, 2020 from noon - 1:00pm at Sam Houston Memorial Funeral Home in Huntsville, Texas. Services will immediately follow at 1:00pm. Sandra will be laid to rest in Overland Park, Kansas.