F a m i l y W e b P a g e
f o r
Rosemary Bell Murphey
F a m i l y
Early Years
Beverly Rosemary Bell, a daughter, was the sixth child of Sanders and Rubye Bell. At the time of her birth, Sanders was 36 years old, and Rubye was 35 years old. She was born at the Leflore County Hospital in Greenwood, Mississippi on Wednesday, August 30, 1950 at 11:38 a.m. and weighed 7 lbs. 4 oz. at birth.
Rosemary came home to the Bell's house located at the north end of Davis Avenue, across the street from the Robert Vanlandingham home and the United Methodist Church. The house had three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a small back porch which had been converted into another bedroom. She was welcomed by her four brothers and one sister: Jimmy Lee Bell (11 years old), June Sandra Bell (10 years old), Charlie King Bell (9 years old), Don Carol Bell (3 years old), and William Timothy Bell (10 months old).
When Rosemary was 16 months old, her family moved into a new home located on Montgomery Drive in Inverness. This home is described in detail in Chapter 2 of this family history.
Rosemary began attending kindergarten in September of 1954 in the upstairs portion of the home of Mrs. Inez Tucker (home was located next to the First Baptist Church parsonage). The school room was a converted attic. She attended this pre-school kindergarten for two years. Rosemary began attending the Inverness Consolidated School in September of 1956. Her elementary school teachers were:
First grade: Mrs. Larkin Tucker and Mrs. Dave Wood
Second grade: Mrs. Hettie Combs (wife of the school principle, Mr. W. W. Combs)
Third grade: Mrs. Hazel Littleton
Fourth grade: Mrs. Ara Pratt
Fifth grade: Mrs. Lillian Hunter
Sixth grade: Mrs. Clyde Ervin
Rosemary's favorite games at recess (grades 1-3 playground) were the swings, see-saw, and slide. In the late fall and winter when leaves from the many large-leaved oak trees were falling, Rosemary and her playmates enjoyed building houses with leaves around the oak trees. The teachers had a hard time keeping the children from throwing the large acorns at each other. When she moved to the playground for grades 4-6, she enjoyed the merry-go-round and monkey bars. She would play with a hula-hoop, and some children would enjoy roller skating on the sidewalks during recess.
Her favorite playmates and friends were Ginger Gholston, Melinda Cobb, Elaine Hunter, Bill Jones, Baird Montgomery, Randy Sumerall, Pam Carpenter, and Janet McGregor.
Beginning in the third grade, Rosemary took music lessons at school for several years through the fifth or sixth grade. She participated in a number of piano recitals. Her teacher was Mrs. Ann Wall.
Childhood Play Activities
Rosemary's memories of her favorite games and playtime activities at home include the following. She loved to roller skate around the concrete driveway. The children would often get chalk and mark the driveway off with dividing lines in the middle so that it resembled the center-line striping of a highway. They would often draw buildings along the sides of the driveway and draw the highway passing through the center of the town. Rosemary was also very fond of riding a tricycle (when young) and later, bicycles, around the driveway. Sometimes she would fasten playing cards to the back frame of her bicycle with clothes pins. The playing cards were positioned so that they would hit the spokes of the wheel as it turned and create a the sound of a motor. While she was young, her brothers, Don and Tim, would ride her on the handle bars of their bikes before she learned to ride. The children would sometimes ride at night, especially when Uncle Dick Williams and Aunt Mildred Williams and their children, Annie and Charles Ed, would come over for supper. Another favorite place to ride a bicycle was down the sloping bank alongside a neighborhood street as it crossed a bayou in the area.
Rosemary and her brothers used to play a game called "witchcraft". They also spent time playing in the large basement underneath the house, especially during cold weather. In the basement, there was a Lionel train set on a table. The train had several engines and a number of cars. One blue boxcar featured a man standing atop the car: the man would lie down as the train passed underneath certain orange poles. Several buildings on the train table had lights in them, and the depot also had a button that could be pressed to make a horn sound. The train transformer featured a button to push to cause a horn to sound from the train engine. The train table itself featured roads and was landscaped with artificial trees and shrubbery. There were power poles and lighted lamp posts.
The children enjoyed pulling each other around the house on blankets on our hardwood floors. In the living room, they would play with a bowling set featuring plastic pins and balls. They also liked to play the games of canasta and monopoly til late at night with Annie. Another fun game was "Chinese school," which was played on the stairs (guessing which hand contained a marble and then moving up or down the stairs if you guessed correctly).
Rosemary liked playing jacks and she loved modeling clay - making horses and saddles and people. Mrs. Inez Tucker taught her to make horses in BTU at church on Sunday night.
Rosemary also enjoyed playing with stick horses. She would get about one a year or so at the Morgan & Lindsey ten-cent store in Indianola. She would ride them everywhere.
Don, Tim, and Rosemary also enjoyed building pine needle houses in the pines and wigwams made with tomato stick poles and covered with their mother's wool blankets.
The children used an Erector set and a Skyline Construction set to build houses in the basement. Additional board games included Candyland, Nancy Drew Mystery Game, Battleship and Clue. Rosemary has fond memories of playing with a metal split-level doll house and her Barbie dolls. Stuffed animals and dolls with names included Reddish Teddy, Black Lamb, Plooka, Mary Frances, and Big Doll.
Pets, interests: During the 1950s, Rosemary enjoyed the family dog, a male collie, named Laddie. When Laddie died, the family got a female collie named Lassie. When Lassie died, the family got a small dog named Tramp, and a cat named Tabby. She also enjoyed crafts and needlework.
Junior High and High School
Rosemary's favorite teachers in Junior High and High School were: Coach Hobson Waits, Mrs. Bertie Knight, Charlotte Sibley (typing), Mrs. Corrine Bowles, and Mr. Lawrence Bellipanni.
Memorable friends in Junior High and High School were: Elaine Hunter, Melinda Cobb, Pam Carpenter, Janet McGregor, David Wood, Ronnie Brown, David Rushing, Franklin Otts, Scooter Sanders, and Steve Henke.
Rosemary participated in a number of clubs including the Glee Club (High School Chorus), the Quartet, the Sextet, Future Homemakers of America, and the Blue and Gold Yearbook Staff where she was Senior Editor.
Rosemary starred in the Junior Play, "Midnight Sun," in the spring of 1967. The play was a mystery-comedy in which Kathy Nelson pretends to be a country hick to fulfill the expectations of her city cousins. The town is up in arms about a burglar known as the Midnight Sun. Everyone suspects Butch Mallory. Finally, at a party given by the Masons, the truth comes to light. Penny makes her first appearance as her lovely self and Butch is absolved of any blame as the Midnight Sun. Rosemary played the part of Mrs. Mason.
Rosemary starred in the Senior Play, "No Boys Allowed," in the spring of 1968. Play summary: Rita Baxter, who just had a fight with her boyfriend, Fred Dana, because she saw him kissing a blond woman, is giving a slumber party while her parents are away. Keith Garland and Harvey Smith, pretending to guard the refreshments for the party, steal them, and make it appear as if it is the work of Fred and Leroy. Mr. Midnight, a prowler that has been terrorizing the town, is also at the party, without the knowledge of the others. The visiting girls capture Fred and Leroy and are satisfied that they have the ones who have been scaring them and trying to break up their party. At last, Mr. Midnight is caught and Rita finds out that Fred really was only kissing his cousin goodbye. Rosemary played the part of Nada Owens.
Rosemary starred in the Class Night Play, "Attic Memories." Preceding the play, Bill Kennedy, president of the Senior class, presented the class gift, a new cyclorama for the stage, to the school, and Elaine Hunter, editor of the Blue and Gold, dedicated the 1968 yearbook to Mrs. Fay Jones. In the class night play, "Attic Memories," the Spirit of the Class of 1968, Laura Collins, dances into an attic and the portraits of the Seniors hanging on the attic wall come to life. As the class members re-live their high school days, Bill Kennedy, Elaine Hunter, Bill Jones, Shun Quon, Sandra Smith and Ginger Gholston give the history; Melinda Cobb gives the prophecy; Rosemary Bell reads the will; Kathleen Blackwell reads a class poem; and Pam Carpenter and Janet McGregor present the class gifts. When the Seniors hear someone coming up the attic stairs, they hurry to return to their portraits. Laura Collins and Jimmy Bell come in with the mascot, Kathy King, to find all the Senior mementos strewn over the attic. The play closes as they leave the attic and the other seniors stand in their portraits.
Honors and awards included: Several certificates of honor. Graduated 5th in her class with a 3.92 grade point average. Gave a speech at graduation. At Mississippi Delta Community College, she received the Business Department Achievement Award in Office Procedures. At MDCC she was a Beta Alpha Scholar. She was appointed a Notary Public for the State of Mississippi on July 15, 1981.
College and University Years
Rosemary graduated from Inverness High School in May of 1968. In the fall of 1968, Rosemary enrolled and began attending Mississippi College for Women in Columbus, Mississippi. She did not like the college nor the classes, and withdrew after two weeks. At the time, her mother was encouraging her to stay at the college and give her studies a chance. Rosemary wanted to return home, but her mother told her to stay at the college. After two weeks, Rosemary caught a ride home with Jimmy Gholston, a friend, and moved her belongings back home.
During the fall of 1968, Rosemary worked as Charlie King's assistant in the Dental Office in Inverness. She had begun working with her brother in the Dental Office during the summer of 1967. She worked as a receptionist there part-time and full-time from 1967-1979.
In January 1969, she began studies at Mississippi Delta Community College in nearby Moorhead, Mississippi, and continued her education there for two years. To catch up with her classmates and make up for the semester she did not attend in the fall of 1968, she attended summer classes in both 1969 and 1970. In September 1970, she transferred to Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi and continued her studies there until she graduated with a B.S Degree in Elementary Education in December 1972.
Marriage 1973
Rosemary married Ronnie Brown of Inverness at the All Saints Episcopal Church on April 21, 1973. Their own church, the First Baptist Church, had been destroyed two years earlier by the terrible tornado which struck the town on Sunday afternoon, February 21, 1971. In the wedding, Rosemary's sister, June Sandra Bell Knight, was Maid of Honor. A reception was held following the wedding in the Parrish House located directly behind the church.
Ronnie entered the U.S. Army on November 5, 1972. Beginning with April 1973, Ronnie was stationed at Fort Lewis in Tacoma, Washington. Rosemary moved to Washington state with her husband. Ronnie was discharged from the Army in November 1974, and he and Rosemary returned to Inverness. Rosemary attended Mississippi Delta Community College from 1978-1979 and received an Associate Degree of Applied Science in Secretarial Science in May 1979. Ronnie and Rosemary divorced on April 27, 1979 after 6 years of marriage.
Marriage 1983
Rosemary worked as Secretary to the Project Director of the Mississippi State Highway Department in Indianola, Mississippi from April 1982 to August 1984. The office was located in a double-wide trailor. While there, she met Sean Murphey who began working there in August 1982 as a Surveyor with the survey crew. Rosemary comments: "He came to work there in August of 1982. We were not immediately attracted to each other. Sean said what attracted him to me was the day I wore my "springalator" heels to work. The shoes had that on them. They were slingback, openback, open toe heels with some kind of wide band of elastic in them. Our first date was New Years Eve, 1982, to the Hoe Down in Sunflower, MS. We married March 25, 1983, just 3 months later."
Sean lived in Indianola and attended Lockard Elementary School for one year, then transferred to Indianola Academy for the remainder of his education.
Sean and Rosemary were married on March 25, 1983 in Judge R. M. Randall's office in Indianola, Mississippi. Those present included David Landwirth, Catherine Labella, Billy Kimbriel, and Mickey Parker. The Murphey's first home was a house located at 802 Franklin Avenue, behind the Ruth Melton home in Inverness, Mississippi. The house was a remodeled garage that Mrs. Melton had renovated for her sister, Mrs. Irene Powell and her husband.
Sean and Rosemary lived in Inverness for 6 1/2 years, from 1983 to October 1989. In October 1989, Sean's grandmother passed away. In late October, Rosemary moved into this house located next to Sean's parents. Sean was in New Jersey at the time attending his first semester of classes at the Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Arts, so Rosemary did the moving herself.
Sean attended Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Arts in New Jersey from September 1989 - May 1990 and September 1993 - May 1995. He graduated from this college in May 1995.
Sean was a penciller for Archie Comics of Mamaroneck, New York from 1995 to 1997. Sean conducted his work for Archie Comics through the mail. The company would send him pencil sketch-work which he would take and create final drawings, sending the work back overnight to be inked and published.
In 1996, he playfully caught every nuance that makes B.B. King a Santa-like rascal for a T-shirt design contest for the B.B. King Homecoming in Indianola. The design was turned into a poster for the event, and signed copies were issued in a limited release.
In 1997, the Delta Magazine featured an article about Sean and his work.
Sean and Rosemary have begun a tradition with their family and friends. Each Christmas, Sean creates an original Christmas card featuring their pets. This began in 1983. That year, the Murpheys were creating their own gifts, wrapping paper, etc., and decided to create a Christmas card as well. The first card was a drawing of their Christmas tree with their "children" (cats) under it. Themes for the cards have included luminaries in the town park, a visit to Cat toys r us, live nativity, Santa's workshop, decorating the house for the holidays, working on the art studio, attending a Christmas festival, Civil War re-enactment, celebration of the millennium, computer technology, and others.
Sean Murphey enjoys participating in Civil War re-enactments, and he and Rosemary often attend several of the weekend events each year. He attends art festivals throughout the state, drawing caricatures. The Murpheys enjoy reading and collecting books, often about 19th century American history. They also enjoy music and collecting CDs and records, and, of course, art and drawing.
Rosemary's interests include needlework and astrology. She collects Moni Angels (clay), Christmas ornaments of all kinds-- Christmas stockings, astrology books, children's books, cookbooks, stitchery charts, and Barbie dolls.
Employment:
Rosemary Bell Murphey: WORK EXPERIENCE
Mississippi State Department of Public Welfare.
Indianola, Mississippi.
Position: Bookkeeper. Secretary to the Director.
Dates: June 1979 - April 1982.
Mississippi State Highway Department.
Indianola, Mississippi.
Position: Secretary to the Project Director.
Dates: April 1982 - August 1984.
The Lewis Grocer Company.
Indianola, Mississippi.
Position: Secretary to In-House Attorney.
Dates: August 1984 - April 1985.
Position: Executive Secretary to In-House Attorney.
Executive Secretary to Vice President of Merchandising.
Executive Secretary to Director of County Market Merchandising.
Dates: April 1985 - February 1986.
Position: Bakery/Deli Buyer Trainee.
Dates: March 1986 - July 1987.
Position: Executive Secretary to Vice President of Merchandising.
Executive Secretary to Attorney/Director of Real Estate.
Executive Secretary to Director of County Market Merchandising.
Dates: July 1987 - March 1988.
Position: Executive Secretary to Vice President of Warehouse and Transportation.
Executive Secretary to Director of Merchandising.
Dates: March 1988 - August 1990.
Confish, Inc.
Isola, Mississippi.
Position: Secretary/ Sales and Marketing.
Dates: November 1990 - August 1993.
Position: Accounts Payable Clerk.
Dates: August 1993 - August 1998
Mississippi State Department of Human Services.
Position: Secretary to the Director, Mrs. Julia Carpenter (wife of Robert Carpenter of Inverness).
Dates: September 14, 1998 - October 14, 2000.
Position: Bookkeeper and Secretary to the Area Social Work Supervisor for Family and Children's Services.
Dates: October 15, 2000 - present.
(Work information accurate as of March 2002)
Sean Murphey: WORK EXPERIENCE
Mississippi State Highway Department.
Indianola, Mississippi.
Position: Surveyor.
Dates: August 1982 - March 1984.
The Flesh Company (a printing company)
Indianola, Mississippi.
Position: Press operator.
Dates: March 1984 - August 1992.
Lawrence Printing Company.
Greenwood, Mississippi.
Position:
Dates: Late September 1992 - August 1993.
June 1995 - present.
(Work information accurate as of March 2002)