Mary Ellen (Murphy) Arsenault

Hudson, MA

Mary Ellen (Murphy) Arsenault, 82, died July 1, 2022. She was a life-long resident of Hudson MA.

She was the owner of Murphy Oil Company and founder and owner of First Steps Children’s Center in Hudson and Southborough, MA.  She cherished all her precious little children, their families and the wonderful employees that became her First Steps Family.

She often traveled to Ireland, her home away from home. She had a gift for making life-long friends and she was blessed to have many of them in her “second home” Ireland.

Mary Ellen was like a second mother to so many. She was a good listener and she always had a shoulder to cry on and, if you were lucky, a letter to follow.

She was a graduate of St. Michael’s Academy and one of her favorite things to do was getting together with her SMA friends to reminisce about the good old days.

In her very limited spare time, she loved to read, she also knitted hats for new born babies.

She is survived by her loving husband John D. Arsenault of 63 years and her three children, Joseph and his wife Arlana of Shirly, MA, Christopher, Sr. of Hudson and her daughter Nancy King husband Dana of Marlborough, Ma. She was predeceased by her two sons, the late John Arsenault and the late Thomas Arsenault.

She had 4 grandchildren, Christopher, Jr., Katherine, Thomas (predeceased) and Ryan King.

She had many Nieces, and Nephews, and Great Grandchildren who adored her.

She was the daughter of the late Patrick J Murphy and Helen McNally Murphy and is also survived by her two sisters Anne Marie Bloch (Kenneth) of Charlotte, NC and Joan Patricia Garvin (Brendan) of Boston, MA.

We will cherish fond childhood memories of trips to Hampton Beach, summers at the cottage in Maine, and neighborhood pool parties and winter breaks in Punta Gorda FL.

Save me a seat in Heaven Mom

Relatives and friends are invited to a period of visitation from 5-8pm Thursday, July 7, 2022 at Tighe Hamilton Regional Funeral Home, 50 Central St., Hudson, MA. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 9am on Friday, July 8, 2022 at Saint MIchael Parish, 21 Manning St., Hudson, MA; followed by a procession to Forestvale Cemetery in Hudson for Committal Services.

In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Mary Ellen may be made to: Alzheimer’s Association, Dodge Park Nursing Home of Worcester, MA or Notre Dame Hospice of Worcester, MA.

For online condolences or to view life story visit www.tighehamilton.com.