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Erie Cemetery History Project

Anne (Murphy) Alepra (1936-2000)

Anne Murphy was born in Chester, PA, the daughter of Francis and Alice (Watson) Murphy. She attended Marygrove College in Detroit, MI, and received a Master's Degree from Western Illinois University.

On Aug. 24, 1963, she was married to Edward Alepra at St. Patrick's Church, Wayndotte, MI. The couple had four children, Peter, Katherine, Michael and Paul. Beginning in 1967, the family resided in Erie.

Mrs. Alepra was about 5 foot 10 inches tall, and had auburn hair and blue eyes.

Mrs. Alepra was an English teacher. She served on the Erie Public Library Board of Trustees. She was a member of the National Teachers Association, the Illinois Teachers Association and the Erie Teachers Association. She was a member of St. Ambrose Church in Erie and served the congregation in many capacities.

At the time of Mrs. Alepra's funeral, the family prepared the following eulogy:

"Anne Alepra was a teacher. When she was a little girl she declared her intention to teach, and she never wavered. Hers were the marks of a great teacher: love of her subject and her students, selflessness, integrity, compassion and the power to fire the imagination. And blending everything together was a rare sense of humor.

"Anne's teaching was not bound by classroom walls. It embraced and molded her family and touched her community, especially the library, and her church. Her subject was English, but the lesson was life. She was a tolerant person, and from her we learned respect. She cared deeply for all of us, and we learned to care for one another. She offered constant encouragement, and we aspired to higher goals. During the past few months Anne taught her finest class. She bore her illness with dignity, patience and grace, and watching her we became stronger and drew closer together.

"Anne Alepra was one of those people who makes the world a better place. The sun shines a little less brightly today on Erie, but how fortunate for all of us that for a while we reaped Anne's radiance and beauty."

Edward Alepra writes:

"Anne had an infectious smile and blue eyes that said 'I would like to know you and have you as a friend.' She was a compassionate person who always considered the interests of others before her own. She had a rare sense of humor, probably from her Irish descent, that could bring gaiety to the most serious of situations.

"Her desire to learn went beyond her own requirements. She was an excellent teacher who was capable of responding to all types of all students. She instilled in them a desire to explore and expand their knowledge so that they could better understand how to cope with their environment.

"She believed in the Ten Commandments and practiced them without reservation. Her integrity was irreproachable.

"The well being of her family was important. She placed their needs before her own. She enjoyed her children but especially looked forward to her grandchildren. Her people skills guided her family throughout their lives.

"Anne was an extroardinary person, not only as a wife, mother, grandmother and teacher, but as a human being. I believe this is best explained by a quote prepared by her sister, Ellen Bonn: 'Anne Alepra was one of those people who makes the world a better place. The sun shines a little less brightly today on Erie, but how fortunate for all of us that for a while we reaped Anne's radiance and beauty.'"

(Information from Edward Alepra)