Dara Horvath Murphy

Dara Horvath Murphy passed away in her home on Friday, March 14, 2025, surrounded by her loved ones. Dara was born ‘Dara Lee Horvath’ on March 7, 1952, in Warren, Ohio to the late, LTC Joseph and Josephine Horvath. Dara traveled the world as a child with a military father, mother and brother Jimmy. She enjoyed people and especially animals. Her greatest joy and loves were her husband Jimmy Murphy, children; John (Brannan) Blascak, Justin Blascak, Lt. Col. Jeremy (Heather) Blascak, Heather (Stephen) Van Buren; and Courtney Horvath who passed away in 2016.; her brother Jimmy (Jody) Horvath. Her four grandchildren were the light of her life, Cecilia, Emilia, Rivers and Rowan. She also had a loving and loyal chihuahua named Cody.

Dara’s love for God and her family and church was her life. She loved the Lord and performed many functions in her church including teaching catechism, Ladies guild president, Choir, parish life, Parish council, and Divine Mercy prayer group. She also participated in hosting two women retreats. She was proud to be a discalced Carmelite and enjoyed yearly retreats with the Carmelite groups, loving this prayer life and lived with Carmelite spirituality. She was an avid reader and especially enjoyed the classics with Byron, Keats and Shelley being her favorites. She called this her avocation. In her spare time, she would crochet baby blankets for newborn babies of friends and acquaintances.

She always felt her calling by our Lord was helping others and was employed by Hampton Police Department in Hampton VA. She loved working her same district; intimately knowing the residents, especially children and businesses in her area. In her time in law enforcement, she became a hostage negotiator and valued the opportunity to help those in ultimate need.

A funeral service will be held on Saturday March 22, 2025, 11 a.m. at the Church of the Good Shepherd. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Church of the Good Shepherd, 300 Smithfield Blvd., Smithfield VA 23430 with Parish Community Life notated on the memo line. Online condolences may be registered at www.littlesfuneralhome.com