Joan Patricia Murphy


Joan Patricia Murphy was an American Democratic politician and member of the Cook County Board of Commissioners, representing the 6th district which is located in the Chicago Southland.

Biography

Murphy was born Joan Patricia O'Malley in South Boston, Massachusetts. She graduated from State Teachers College.
From 1965 to 1969 she was the elected clerk of the Village of Crestwood, and later the elected clerk for Worth Township. She went on to be the elected Supervisor for Worth Township.
Murphy was Chairperson of the Labor Committee and of the Finance-Labor Committee. She was Vice-Chairperson of the Finance-Real Estate Committee and the Zoning and Building Committee. Additionally, Murphy served on 13 committees: Administration, Business and Economic Development, Education, Litigation, Tax Delinquency, Stroger and Cermak Hospitals, Oak Forest Hospital, Provident Hospital, Legislation and Intergovernmental Relations, Health and Hospitals, Finance, Zoning and Buildings, and Roads and Bridges. Murphy led a fight against supervisors taking mandated, unpaid furlough leave.
As Cook County Commissioner, Murphy voted to uphold a 2008 tax increase, remaining the highest in the nation.
Murphy died on September 18, 2016 from breast cancer. She was 79 years old.