Susan Janet Murphy

With broken hearts and profound love, we announce the passing of Susan Elizabeth Murphy on May 25, 2026, at the age of 75, at Mariposa House Hospice, surrounded by her loving family.

Desperately missing her are her devoted husband, Gordon, to whom Sue provided unconditional love and unsolicited feedback and advice throughout their 55 years of marriage, her beloved son Todd, daughter-in-law Kerry (Viney), and grandson Colin, and her favourite (and only) daughter Tara and son-in-law Richard. Also mourning Susan are sister Janice and brother-in-law Marty (Boudewyns) of Kitchener, and sister-in-law Nessie (Patterson) of Belfast, Northern Ireland, her nieces and nephews, as well as many friends and neighbours.

Susan was born on August 24, 1950, in Cambridge, Ontario, to Colin and Elizabeth Packard. She spent her formative years in Cambridge before meeting and marrying Gord and moving to Orillia to raise a family. Years before helicopter parenting was invented, she was a deeply involved mother, attending hockey and soccer games, leading Girl Guide troops, chaperoning school band trips, and hosting get-togethers for any and all occasions.

For almost 30 years, Susan was the public face of the Orillia Public Library, greeting patrons from behind the Circulation Desk and, consequently, becoming a reliable source for Orillia’s hottest gossip and incredible book recommendations.

She revelled in retirement, spending months in Florida and other sunny destinations, travelling frequently to Ireland to visit family, growing beautiful flowers and tomatoes, reading voraciously, murdering her friends and family at Scrabble and other word games, attending the theatre to indulge in her love of musicals, and presiding over dinners, holiday parties, and happy hours with a glass of sparkling wine in hand.

Susan and her family are grateful to her team at Toronto General Hospital and Princess Margaret Hospital for providing unparalleled care when she received her cancer diagnosis 15 years ago. No amount of time with Susan would have been enough, but we will treasure those extra years forever.

We are also thankful to the nurses and volunteers at Mariposa House Hospice, who offered care, compassion, and peace when we needed it most.

Cremation has taken place, and a celebration of life will be held on Friday, June 16, at the Mundell Funeral Home, 79 West Street North, Orillia. Family & friends will be received from 11:00AM to 1:00PM, with the service immediately following at 1:00 PM in the chapel. All are welcomed to stay afterwards for a reception. If you are unable to attend the service, you may watch via Livestream by clicking on the following link to register your device (link to come).

In lieu of flowers, we ask that donations in Susan’s memory be made to the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation. Messages of condolence are welcome at www.mundellfuneralhome.com.