Linda Murphy
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Published in September 2025
Well, if you are reading this obituary, it looks like I’m dead. WOW, it actually happened … I died of FOMO due to complications of Bulbar ALS.
My name is Linda Brossi Murphy, and I was just 60 years old when I died on Sunday evening, September 21, 2025 – way too young! As the saying goes, I “died peacefully while surrounded by loved ones” … I was loved, comforted, and hugged until my last breath by my beautiful family and a couple of my besties!
My stupid Bulbar ALS got me to the sad point of not being able to talk. Never speaking means never being able to say, “I love you!” It means not being able to call my Mr. BoJangles over for a snack, and it means not being able to order at the Dunkin’ drive through. As far as eating, it totally stinks to sit at the table while people around you are eating juicy burgers hot off the grill, heaping piles of Chinese food, a healthy portion of pasta Alfredo, or Chipotle — and I just have to smile and act like I’m enjoying my bowl of puréed baby mush! Living had gotten to be such an overwhelming burden every day, day after day. I always did my very best not to let anyone know “the back story” of my daily suffering and struggles with ALS. Hubby and I just plowed through each day trying to put our best selves out there for the public eye. Hair and make up done, smiles on….
I am leaving behind some amazing people. My husband, David, aka “Hubby,” who I have adored, unconditionally from the first moment I laid eyes on him 42 years ago! We were together from teenagers to grandparents. Our marriage was mostly good and crazy fun. We both agreed, I was an “A” wife and he was a “B+” husband for a total “A-” which is pretty decent for 42 years together!!! We became a thruple about 1.5 years ago when, Hosee, (my respirator) moved into our marital bed. From then on, David woke up next to what looked like a fighter pilot with smooshed hair!
I had a wonderful family, David Jr. and Ali (Bragg) & Bode and Scottie Murphy of Charlestown, Doug and Kate (Farrell) & Connall Murphy of Milton and Adam and Justine (Murphy) & Harvey Hastings of Bolton. My family has been amazing and the absolute best thing about my life. These peeps have filled my heart to overflowing levels! Michael Brossi of Marlborough and Dave Brossi of Westboro, my brothers, have been my life long support system and partners, I loved them deeply. A lot of dear cousins, my wonderful Auntie Terry Ciarcia, Aunt Pam Nicolazzo, and lots of nieces and nephews. I was recently predeceased by my amazing father, David Brossi. The salt of the earth- a pillar of wisdom, grace, and character. He was always my example of exemplary integrity and as well as one of my favorite humans. Sadly, he lost his mother and daughter of the same sucky disease, Bulbar Onset ALS.
Sticking with formality for a moment… I was born March 7, 1965 in Boston to David and the late Patricia Brossi. I grew up in Framingham, MA. I attended St. Bridget’s School, Marian High School, and Assumption University (Class of 1987). After I graduated, I had a brief stint as a Nursing Home Administrator until David Jr. was born, then stayed home and hatched a couple more pups over the next few years. In 2000, I formally joined the family real estate business and worked there until I was diagnosed… with ALS (I kept working through my long battle with cancer 12 years ago) … Yikes!! Cancer…THEN ALS. Ugh, Honestly, you can’t make this stuff up! I am very proud of the book I wrote about my journey through cancer. Check it out, it’s called “F Off Cancer” by Linda Brossi Murphy.
My favorite pastime was being with my family & friends, hence why FOMO did me in! I also adored having fun, anytime, anywhere! No matter what I was doing, I had fun. I was a very happy person to the core. I also enjoyed feeding the birds, gardening, “playing” the piano when no one was home, playing games on my phone (especially Words With Friends! Overall, I think I was a nice person, except on ‘WWF’- sorry, losers!) drinking wine, boating, playing Rummikub with great friends, walking 9 holes of golf on a lovely day, a half-day of skiing, traveling and dancing every chance I could (with my arms in the air, of course).
I lived my life with two super powers. My first, of which everyone was jealous, was that I could drink as much as I wanted and never seemed to get a hangover … the real wonder is why I didn’t die of liver failure. My second super power is that I was always genuinely happy and absolutely loved to be with nice people.
In addition to my awesome family, I leave a bunch of very dear Murphy in-laws, too many to name, and my father-in-law, Joseph Murphy, who was married to my awesome late mother-in-law and dear friend, Betty Murphy. I was blessed to have had the very mostest bestie Michelle Loranger, along with with a plethora of very dear friends, too many to mention, you know who you are and how important you were to me… My advice is to say “yes” to the party, the trip, the adventure – and while you are there, please raise a glass and “Cheers” for me!
Please be kind to everyone: the telemarketer, the grocery clerk, the Dunkin’s staff, the tailgater, your family, your friends. Speak nicely and positively. Is there really ever a reason to be negative? I don’t think so…
My last donation was made on the way to the funeral home. They swung my body through Massachusetts General Hospital so I could drop off my brain and spinal cord for ALS research. I sincerely ask you all, in lieu of flowers, please consider a generous donation to Compassionate Care ALS.org https://ccals.org/in_memory_of/linda-murphy/ as CCALS has helped me and so many other live a better life while struggling with ALS.
So to my earthly existence, I say farewell. It was a blast while it lasted. We sure did have fun!
If you want to come and say hi to my peeps, calling hours are at the McCarthy, McKinney & Lawler Funeral Home, 11 Lincoln Street in Framingham on Sunday, September 28, 2025 from 3:00 – 7:00 pm.
If you were a stinker and meanie to me or my family or friends during my lifetime … Please do everyone a favor and STAY AWAY, we don’t want your negative drama & energy. Only nice, loving people are welcome!
The family will have a private burial.
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE don’t waste money on flowers. Buy a bunch of scratch tickets and give them out to strangers along your way. Make people happy, that is the best way that you can honor my memory.
A celebration of life will be held at The Verve Hotel, 1360 Worcester St. Natick, on Monday, September 29, 2025 from 6:00 – 9:00 pm. Please join my family to celebrate my life, have a glass of wine…some tasty nibbles… and don’t forget to bring your dancing shoes and your favorite story to share about me and my shenanigans! This is a great location for out-of-town guests to stay in a hotel as well.