Sandra Kay Stewart Murphy

Sandra Kay Stewart Murphy passed away peacefully Sunday, April 8th surrounded by her family. Sandy was born March 7, 1943 in Cincinnati, Ohio. She was the Organist/Choirmaster of Saint Andrews Episcopal Church for the past forty years. During her tenure at Saint Andrews, in addition to playing the organ, Sandy taught in the day school, directed both the parish and childrens choirs, the handbell choir, and arranged the flowers for Sunday mornings as well as special occasions in the church. Sandy loved directing the many productions at Saint Andrews like the Madrigal Dinners, Advent Lessons and Carols, Garden Fete and the Boars Head and Yule Log Festival. Under her direction, the parish choir performed many places, including the Washington Cathedral, Bruton Parish in Williamsburg, and Saint Peters Basilica in Rome, Italy. Sandy was also responsible for the music during the installation of Bishop Robert Tharp and Bishop Charles von Rosenberg. Additionally, Bishop Robert Tharp, selected Sandy to represent the diocese of East Tennessee at the first national leadership conference for musicians at the Virginia Theological Seminary. Sandy loved music and taught private piano lessons to many of Maryvilles youth for over forty-five years. Additionally, she served as the Executive Director of the Evelyn Miller Young Pianist Series. Sandy was a graduate of Maryville High School. She earned a Bachelor of Music from George Peabody College and later earned her Masters of Music from the University of Tennessee. Sandy also studied at the Royal School of Church Music in Croydon, England. She was a member of the American Guild of Organists, the Association of Anglican Musicians, and Sigma Alpha Iota. Throughout Sandys life she has had a passion for the church through her music and the flowers, for God, for life, for her friends and for her family. She loved celebrations and making the most out of every occasion. When her granddaughter, Kaitlyn, was once asked what all she and Fee (Sandy) did, Kaitlyn responded that they were having too much fun to get it all done. Sandy will always be remembered for her joy, her passion and her love of life. We will all miss the light she brought into our lives. Sandy is survived by her parents Jack and Kathleen Stewart of Maryville, her daughter Melisa (Lisa) Murphy Rotton, son-in-law Jeffrey Connor Rotton, and grandchildren Kaitlyn Murphy Rotton and Preston Stewart Connor Rotton. The service will be held at Saint Andrews Episcopal Church at 2:00 pm on Saturday, April 14, 2012. The family will receive friends immediately following the service in the Great Hall. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Evelyn Miller Young Pianist Series, 5819 Holston Hills Road, Knoxville, TN 37914 or to the Mayville City Schools Foundation (Sandra Murphy Fund), 833 Lawrence Avenue, Maryville, TN 37803. McCammon-Ammons-Click Funeral Home, Maryville in charge 982-6812 www.mccammonammonsclick.com