Kathleen Freebern Murphy

Aug. 4, 1987 to Jan. 23, 2005


dew evaporates---
and all our life is dew;
so dear, so fresh,
so fleeting
-- Issa

MURPHY, Kathleen "Kate," 17 years old, of Tampa, passed away Sunday, January 23, 2005, at her home of complications related to her congential kidney defect. She is survived by her loving parents, Kevin and Robin Murphy; brother, Allan Murphy, all of Tampa; paternal grandmother, Mary Laird of Sarasota; and maternal grandparents, Fred and Lee Roberson of Douglas, Ga. Kate was a senior at Freedom High School in New Tampa and was excited about attending Florida Southern College in the fall where she had intended to pursue her writing. She enjoyed volunteering at the Moffitt Cancer Hospital, current culture and spending time with her family and friends.

Kate Murphy Memorial Fund (Tampa General Hospital)

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Kate Murphy Memorial Fund, Attn: Brett Breen, Tampa General Hospital Foundation, P.O. Box 1289, Tampa, FL 33601-1289, or http://www.tgh.org. As of 2/24/05, the Kate Murphy Memorial Fund has raised over $5,000 which will go for pediatric nephrology needs at TGH. Thank you!

Kate's Top 20 (from her iPod)


  1. California/Phantom Planet
  2. Eleanor Rigby/The Beatles
  3. Train in Vain (Stand by Me)/The Clash
  4. Stuck with Me/Green Day
  5. Giving In/Adema
  6. Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)/Nancy Sinatra
  7. Hallelujah/Rufus Wainwright
  8. Dice/Finley Quaye and William Orbit
  9. Just a Ride/Jem
  10. Letterbomb/Green Day
  11. How Good It Can Be/The 88
  12. Baby One More Time/Bowling for Soup
  13. We Used to Be Friends/The Dandy Warhols
  14. My Own Summer (Shove It)/Deftones
  15. I Wonder/Diffuser
  16. El Tango De Roxanne/Ewan McGregor, Jose Feliciano, and Jacek Koman
  17. Such Great Heights/Iron and Wine
  18. Judy is A Punk/The Ramones
  19. Motivation/Sum 41
  20. New York City/They Might Be Giants