Obituary for Dee Murphy-Binns
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF DEE MURPHY BINNS
‘COME FLY WITH ME, COME FLY AWAY’
Dee (Delores Hummel) Murphy Binns has caught her last flight out: leaving her
irrepressible spirit for us at the baggage check counter. Always lively, energetic and at times
feisty, she grabbed and held onto a grand 94 and 11 months of life, making the most of it and
ducking out of a milestone age. Dee was proceeded in death by her son Sean Patrick Murphy,
but is survived by her sons Michael and Craig and her faithful dog Poco. Dee also has several
grandchildren: Rheanna Bagley (more a daughter to her, than a granddaughter) and her
grandsons Miles, Jaden and Parker. Dee spent time this last summer with her grandchildren
and her great- grand -children Rider and Stevie Grace Hall. Dee gave all the grandkids the
straight poop on what was to be expected in following in her footprints.
Born in 1926 during the depression in Brooklyn, New York - scrappiness was part of her DNA.
Her father George Hummel was a German immigrant and a NYPD officer who died in the line
of duty when Dee was only 6 years old. Her mother, Mary Carney Hummel, who immigrated
with her family from Ireland, remained a widow and raised Dee and her brothers George and
Harry ( both now deceased) in Springfield Gardens, Queens and Flatbush Ave, Brooklyn.
Dee attended school public school including Erasmus Hall in in Brooklyn where she won many
medals competing in the New York City swimming leagues; the start of a lifetime of seeking a
water view, by pool or by ocean.
Dee went right to work after High School to the the hustle and bustle world of Wall St., pushing
up at the glass ceiling from the get go. Although impatient with her rise in the ranks as a young
female, and after a dicey romantic choice, Dee had saved enough for a car. So, she traveled to
Detroit to pick it up and with her dog Spinney she headed out west, never turning back.
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF DEE MURPHY BINNS
Piloting her new automobile, Dee, all of 21 years old, charted her course to San Francisco to
answer an ad to become a “stew” starting a life of flying and traveling the world with the airlines,
working for Pan Am, United, and TWA airlines.
Then she met Jim Murphy singing in the Tongo Room in San Francisco. A marriage and a home
in Mill Valley, CA , were followed with the births of her three sons ; Michael, Craig and Sean.
While all the children were very young the marriage fell apart and Dee was a single mom left to
raise three boys. Going back to flying was not an option but neither was giving up. Just like her
favorite singer ‘Frankie boy’, Dee dug deep and did it ‘Her Way’.
Dee’s neighbors the Harringtons, provided support while Dee earned a real estate license and
took on the role of a single working mother in Marin, long before it was fashionable. She forged
lifelong friendships with the people who assisted in this feat. This included “the Colonel” of real
estate: Tom Nowell, the worlds greatest pediatrician Dr Authur Ablin, and Rickka Dickey, with
whom she collaborated on child raising while organizing with other single working mothers of
the 60’s in Mill Valley and even appearing as an extra in ‘Bullit’ with Steve McQueen.
Dee battled the gender gap but always celebrated life through the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and into the
90’s as a real estate broker - working both independently and with various firms ( Frank Howard
Allen, Cagwin, Seymour and Hamilton and her favorite - Dee Murphy Binns). There were the
deals: good and bad but always bringing together many characters along the way. Her
workmates became her good friends, such as PJ, Carl Pearson, Joan Hall and Al Hanna.
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF DEE MURPHY BINNS
Southern Marin was headquarters for her touring, holding open houses and closing deals. Her
business life was Interrupted by bailing out of trouble her sons and Rocco the dog, trouble from
those people that lacked an accommodating sense of humor. There were occasional breaks:
living in Mexico and San Diego - creating a whole new set of friends and merry-makers.
Dee held her real estate/ broker license in Marin for over 50 years ( probably the longest in
Marin Co history). Even into her 80’s she carried business cards, even offering them to
acquaintances while visiting Peru, on the off chance of gaining a listing or client seeking to buy.
However, her true passion was for travel and adventure, always with a smile and willingness to
enjoy another country and culture - many of her close friends were from outside the US. She
loved to welcome them to her home in Tiburon or Mill Valley and in turn be be welcomed into
theirs in Europe, Central and South America.
Filling her passport pages with new stamps, she would jet off with her tightly packed blue carryon
and somebody else’s sunglasses to create more memories with people and places ; sharing
her contagious smile and zest for a life well lived. We’ll miss singing and dancing with her to
Sinatra’s ;“Fly me to the moon, let me play amongst the stars….”
GATHER WITH US SUNDAY EVE, FEB 13 2022, TO CELEBRATE DEE
AND A VALENTINE’S DAY BURIAL ON MONDAY FEB 14 2022.
‘COME FLY WITH ME, COME FLY AWAY’
Dee (Delores Hummel) Murphy Binns has caught her last flight out: leaving her
irrepressible spirit for us at the baggage check counter. Always lively, energetic and at times
feisty, she grabbed and held onto a grand 94 and 11 months of life, making the most of it and
ducking out of a milestone age. Dee was proceeded in death by her son Sean Patrick Murphy,
but is survived by her sons Michael and Craig and her faithful dog Poco. Dee also has several
grandchildren: Rheanna Bagley (more a daughter to her, than a granddaughter) and her
grandsons Miles, Jaden and Parker. Dee spent time this last summer with her grandchildren
and her great- grand -children Rider and Stevie Grace Hall. Dee gave all the grandkids the
straight poop on what was to be expected in following in her footprints.
Born in 1926 during the depression in Brooklyn, New York - scrappiness was part of her DNA.
Her father George Hummel was a German immigrant and a NYPD officer who died in the line
of duty when Dee was only 6 years old. Her mother, Mary Carney Hummel, who immigrated
with her family from Ireland, remained a widow and raised Dee and her brothers George and
Harry ( both now deceased) in Springfield Gardens, Queens and Flatbush Ave, Brooklyn.
Dee attended school public school including Erasmus Hall in in Brooklyn where she won many
medals competing in the New York City swimming leagues; the start of a lifetime of seeking a
water view, by pool or by ocean.
Dee went right to work after High School to the the hustle and bustle world of Wall St., pushing
up at the glass ceiling from the get go. Although impatient with her rise in the ranks as a young
female, and after a dicey romantic choice, Dee had saved enough for a car. So, she traveled to
Detroit to pick it up and with her dog Spinney she headed out west, never turning back.
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF DEE MURPHY BINNS
Piloting her new automobile, Dee, all of 21 years old, charted her course to San Francisco to
answer an ad to become a “stew” starting a life of flying and traveling the world with the airlines,
working for Pan Am, United, and TWA airlines.
Then she met Jim Murphy singing in the Tongo Room in San Francisco. A marriage and a home
in Mill Valley, CA , were followed with the births of her three sons ; Michael, Craig and Sean.
While all the children were very young the marriage fell apart and Dee was a single mom left to
raise three boys. Going back to flying was not an option but neither was giving up. Just like her
favorite singer ‘Frankie boy’, Dee dug deep and did it ‘Her Way’.
Dee’s neighbors the Harringtons, provided support while Dee earned a real estate license and
took on the role of a single working mother in Marin, long before it was fashionable. She forged
lifelong friendships with the people who assisted in this feat. This included “the Colonel” of real
estate: Tom Nowell, the worlds greatest pediatrician Dr Authur Ablin, and Rickka Dickey, with
whom she collaborated on child raising while organizing with other single working mothers of
the 60’s in Mill Valley and even appearing as an extra in ‘Bullit’ with Steve McQueen.
Dee battled the gender gap but always celebrated life through the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and into the
90’s as a real estate broker - working both independently and with various firms ( Frank Howard
Allen, Cagwin, Seymour and Hamilton and her favorite - Dee Murphy Binns). There were the
deals: good and bad but always bringing together many characters along the way. Her
workmates became her good friends, such as PJ, Carl Pearson, Joan Hall and Al Hanna.
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF DEE MURPHY BINNS
Southern Marin was headquarters for her touring, holding open houses and closing deals. Her
business life was Interrupted by bailing out of trouble her sons and Rocco the dog, trouble from
those people that lacked an accommodating sense of humor. There were occasional breaks:
living in Mexico and San Diego - creating a whole new set of friends and merry-makers.
Dee held her real estate/ broker license in Marin for over 50 years ( probably the longest in
Marin Co history). Even into her 80’s she carried business cards, even offering them to
acquaintances while visiting Peru, on the off chance of gaining a listing or client seeking to buy.
However, her true passion was for travel and adventure, always with a smile and willingness to
enjoy another country and culture - many of her close friends were from outside the US. She
loved to welcome them to her home in Tiburon or Mill Valley and in turn be be welcomed into
theirs in Europe, Central and South America.
Filling her passport pages with new stamps, she would jet off with her tightly packed blue carryon
and somebody else’s sunglasses to create more memories with people and places ; sharing
her contagious smile and zest for a life well lived. We’ll miss singing and dancing with her to
Sinatra’s ;“Fly me to the moon, let me play amongst the stars….”
GATHER WITH US SUNDAY EVE, FEB 13 2022, TO CELEBRATE DEE
AND A VALENTINE’S DAY BURIAL ON MONDAY FEB 14 2022.