Janet S. Murphy, 86, passed peacefully on Thursday, July 23, 2026, at Serenity Estates in Morris, Illinois. Born March 22, 1940, in Morris to Albert and Carol Pfaff, Janet lived a life defined by quiet strength, deep loyalty, and a love for animals that ran deeper than most people ever understood.

Janet found her truest joy on her farm in Kirksville, Missouri, where she spent her days tending to the many animals who depended on her. Her cats were her constant companions — cherished, spoiled, and loved in a way only Janet could love. The farm wasn’t just where she lived; it was where she felt most herself, surrounded by the peace of open land and the creatures she cared for so fiercely.

She also found comfort in her faith, attending church in Yarrow, and she treasured every visit with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Family meant everything to her, and she carried each of them close to her heart. Janet was preceded in death by her husband, Jerry Murphy, the love of her life, whose memory remained a steady source of strength and comfort to her throughout her years.

She is survived by her children Jim (Michele) Coleman, Rick (Shelley) Coleman, and Yolanda Mendoza (Doug Wegner); grandchildren Nick Coleman, Natalie Scarborough, Kristy Ely, Ryan Coleman, Fallon Kerr, Hayleigh Kerr, and Vail Kerr; and great-grandchildren Xander Coleman, Katherine Coleman, Addie Scarborough, Madison Ely, Mikayla Ely, Cody Coleman, Grayson Coleman, and Lucy Eurich.

A graveside service will be held at Yarrow United Methodist Church Cemetery, Kirksville, MO., on August 3, 2026 at 10:00am, where family and friends will gather to honor Janet’s life, her love of the land, and the gentle way she cared for every living thing around her.

And in the quiet of that countryside she adored, among the fields and the animals she called family, Janet’s spirit will rest — forever part of the farm that shaped her life and held her heart