Former Freeholder, Assemblywoman Carol Murphy Dies

Carol Murphy, a former assemblywoman and Morris County freeholder who served in municipal, county and state government for more than two decades and reached across the aisle to support women in politics, died Wednesday of an illness, colleagues said. She was 78.

Remembered as a skilled negotiator, Murphy first served as a public official as a member of the Montville Township Planning Board and then became the first woman elected to the , where she served from 1980 to 1984, including as deputy mayor, said Peggy Adams, an Assembly aide to Murphy who first worked with Murphy on her successful Morris County freeholder campaign.

Murphy served on the freeholder board from 1984 to 1993. She then represented District 26 in the General Assembly from 1993 to 2001 before serving as a Board of Public Utilities commissioner.

Murphy and her late husband, Leonard, were issued the first two "Conquer Cancer" New Jersey license plates to support cancer research, a program Murphy supported and that was representative of her concern for health issues, said Sue Marinello, Murphy's speech writer.

"She always was aware that being a woman was a difficult thing to be in that arena and she did everything that she could to support women in politics," Marinello said. "Whatever side of the aisle, she made sure that they felt they weren't alone."

That included organizing breakfasts for women in elected office and making sure they had an opportunity to talk to each other, she said.

Murphy also worked on issues affecting eldercare, telephone service and the power grid, she said.

Marinello, a Montville Patch contributor, said Murphy had a logical approach and a philosophy that Murphy often shared: It's better to be in the room negotiating than outside the room protesting.

“I am truly saddened to learn of Carol’s passing," Assemblyman Alex DeCroce (R-26) said Wednesday. "She was more than just my colleague and running mate in the Assembly—she was my friend. Her public service at the local and county levels was invaluable when she took her seat in the General Assembly."

"Carol’s experience was a great asset in serving her constituents in the 26th District, her colleagues in the Republican caucus and the members of the Legislature," DeCroce said.

Adams said Murphy moved to Belvidere from Montville a couple of years ago. She is survived by three children.

"She was well-liked by people," Adams said. "They respected what she did for them in whatever office she held."

Dan Grant, a former Montville committeeman and a Democrat, ran against Murphy once for an Assembly seat. He said he still remembers the courtesy Murphy showed him when she introduced him at a debate they had in Florham Park.

"She introduced me as her councilman in her town," he said.

He said Murphy was a public servant and always professional.

"In these partisan times today, she'd be a rarity," he said. "But she was a rarity in her days as well."

Former Montville Mayor John Rosellini said Murphy was "not only a mentor, but a friend."

"She worked tirelessly for everyone," he said.