Rosemary F. (Murphy) Griffin

Rosemary F. (Murphy) Griffin, 84, of Acton, MA, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, June 5, 2024, at her residence surrounded by her loving family. 

Born May 6, 1940, in New Bedford, MA she was the daughter of the late James and Claire (Roy) Murphy. Rosemary grew up in Fairhaven, MA, attending Rogers Elementary and Fairhaven High School. Rosemary made deep connections even in elementary school and was still very close to her first friend from second grade. High school is where she excelled in all her studies but also continued her musical education singing in the chorus and playing violin in the high school orchestra. Her senior year she was made concertmaster of the orchestra and voted most likely to succeed and best all around!

She attended UMass Amherst and continued her love of music by singing in sorority choruses and playing in the Drams Club’s pit orchestra. She met many lifelong friends at UMass including her husband. After graduation she began her teaching career, teaching in New Bedford, Boston, and Natick. Bill and Rosemary had their 3 children living in Natick, MA, then moved to Fountain Valley, California, Freehold, New Jersey, and then the couple settled back into the Boston area in Westford/Acton for retirement. Everywhere they lived, Rosemary made lifelong friends and was always involved in the local music scene. A major part of her life in New Jersey outside raising her children and working in HR was her time singing in the Elysium Chorale and then the Monmouth Civic Chorus. Some of her most cherished memories are the European trips the MCC made singing in Scotland, Switzerland, Austria, Prague, and the Vatican City Rome. She also has the chance to perform twice at Carnegie Hall, in New York. 

Music was at the center of Rosemary’s life but so were her loving husband, children, grandchildren, and cherished family and friends. Memories and stories of time spent with her cousins up at Uncle John's farm, New York shopping & Broadway, ski trips, beach excursions, Grimbleton (home-made tennis tournaments), UMass Chi Omega reunions, and Fairhaven reunions will be with her family forever. 

Rosemary is survived by her three children, James Griffin and partner Julie Wright, William and Beth (Munn)-Griffin, Susan and Karen Patterson Griffin, and her four grandchildren whom she loved dearly, James Partick Griffin and Erika Smith, Joshua Griffin and Morgan Maccanico of New Jersey and Jake and Lily Patterson of Westford, MA. In addition to her parents, Rosemary was also preceded by her sister, Susan Murphy and her husband William Kenneth Griffin. 

Rosemary leaves a legacy of fierce love and loyalty for all that she treasured. She will be remembered for her passion of gathering and making merry. She loved to host a party, whether it was a black-tie affair or making silly Christmas cookies with grandchildren. She loved to create an atmosphere where people could have fun and enjoy life. She will be missed tremendously by all who loved her. 

 A funeral Mass will be celebrated on Thursday, June 27th at 10:00 AM at Blessed Trinity Parish St. Catherine of Alexandria Church, 107 N Main St, Westford, MA. Burial will be in Massachusetts National Cemetery, Connery Ave, Buzzards Bay, MA at a later date.