JoAnn Mazzella Murphy

The Murphy & Mazzella families are saddened to announce the heartfelt passing of their beloved JoAnn Mazzella Murphy on December 21, 2020. JoAnn, known as TeeMa to her grandkids, was a very kind, generous, loving and intelligent woman who was cherished by her family and inspired everyone around her. She was a devout member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Scarsdale. A dedicated member of the Iona family for over 20 years, JoAnn Mazzella Murphy ’98H was a trustee of Iona College since 1998 and co-chaired the Student Development & Mission Committee of the Board. In 1998, she received an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters, honoris causa, for her dedication and support of the arts and cultural events at Iona. JoAnn chaired the Iona College Council on the Arts (which in 1987 received an endowment from the Baron Lambert Fund for the Arts, established by the Murphys). She is a 2006 recipient of the Brother Driscoll Award for Heroic Humanitarian Service. JoAnn was inducted into the Goal Club Hall of Fame in 2012, and Iona College’s Mazzella Field was named for her parents.

JoAnn is married to Iona trustee emeritus Joseph M. Murphy ’59, ’83H, the co-founder and chairman of Country Bank and chairman of Value Investors. The Murphy Science & Technology Center (now the Murphy Center) is named for his parents. This building houses the Christopher J. Murphy Auditorium, named in memory of the Murphys’ son, Christopher.

JoAnn attended St. Pius V High School in the Bronx, where she later served as trustee, and is a graduate Cum Laude of Marymount Manhattan College, where she majored in art history.

She was Vice Chair of Country Bank, President & broker-owner of Ellinghouse & Stacy, and owned an antiques gallery in Scarsdale, Gallery of Art & Antiques.

JoAnn was also a trustee of the Ursuline School in New Rochelle, where she was honorary co-chair of the Innovation Campaign for the “Building on the Tradition of Innovation,” a campaign which will be transformational in bringing the Catholic, all-girl school into the 21st century with expanded space and an exciting new curriculum.

As President of the Edmund Rice Christian Brothers Art Foundation Ltd., JoAnn was also an honorary Christian Brother. She and husband Joe co-founded the Westchester Chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, and served as co-chair of Columbia University’s Diabetes Advisory Committee, now the Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center

She is survived by her husband Joe, 4 children, Joseph Murphy, Jr & wife Michele, Patricia Murphy MacGillivray, Carolyn Murphy, and Mary Murphy, 8 grandchildren, Kelly MacGillivray Annunziata, Ryan MacGillivray, Sean MacGillivray, Cailin Murphy, Brent Murphy, Joseph Michael Murphy III, Brian Murphy and Christina Murphy, and 2 great grandchildren, Avery Annunziata and Carter MacGillivray.

She also is survived by her brother Frank Mazzella & wife Mary, nieces Antonia Polcini, Cara Gadero, Janice Mazzella Starace & husband Gary, nephews Dennis Capponi & wife Laura, John Mazzella & wife Lori, and several grandnieces & grandnephews. She is predeceased by her parents John & Concetta Mazzella, sisters Louise Capponi and Antionette Polcini, nephew Steven Mazzella and son Christopher Murphy.

JoAnn will be forever alive in the hearts of all those who loved her.

Calling hours for family and friends are December 28 & 29, 3-7PM at Edwin L. Bennett Funeral Home, 824 Scarsdale Avenue, Scarsdale, NY 10583. Due to COVID-19 issues attendance is limited to 40 people at a time. Mass of Christian Burial Wednesday December 30, 11AM at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Scarsdale, NY. Burial to follow at the Rosewood Mausoleum at Ferncliff Cemetery.

Fill not your hearts with pain and sorrow, but remember me in every tomorrow. Remember the joy, the laughter, the smile, I've only gone to rest a little while. Although my leaving causes pain and grief, my going has eased my hurt and given me relief. So dry your eyes and remember me, not as I am now, but as I used to be. Because, I will remember you all and look on with a smile. Understand, in your hearts, I've only gone to rest a little while. As long as I have the love of each of you, I can live my life in the hearts of all of you.

In Lieu of flowers donations by check can be made in JoAnn’s memory to Edmund Rice Christian Brothers Saint Joseph’s Residence, 260 Wilmont Road, New Rochelle, NY 10804