Susan Marie Murphy, who spent most of her life in Goleta, passed away peacefully at home on March 16, 2026, at the age of 67.

Born on Oct. 2, 1958, Sue was the daughter of Gilbert and Kathleen Murphy. She moved to Santa Barbara County at age 12 and made her life in the community she knew so well.

Sue spent much of her working life helping people get where they needed to go safely and confidently.

She worked as a Goleta Union School District bus driver, served with Easy Lift as an operations manager and driver trainer, and taught First-Aid and CPR certification classes.

She maintained her Class B license for many years, training drivers for the city of Santa Barbara and occasionally driving the blood donation bus.

Even later in life, while driving for Uber, she was still doing what came naturally to her: welcoming visitors, offering guidance, and sharing the best of Santa Barbara.

Over the years, she also worked in a variety of other roles, including as a bookkeeper at UCSB and other local businesses.

Her care for others extended far beyond her work. Throughout her son Sam’s journey in Scouting, from Cub Scouts through Eagle Scout, Sue served in leadership roles and gave countless hours to helping young people and their families.

She was an active part of the Santa Barbara Seashells Association, where she helped run events and kept watch from the safety boat, always ready to help young sailors who needed a hand.

Beyond Scouting and sailing, Sue, never one to leave an authority position vacant, also gave her time as Sam’s earliest coach for youth basketball and referee for soccer.


She will be remembered for the good she did, the families and young people she supported, and the many quiet ways she showed up for her community. She now rests with her parents and her brother Kenny in the afterlife.

Sue is survived by her son Samuel Verhasselt (Karen Toro); her partner Kathy Murray; sisters Sheila Davies (Steve) and Sally Gilmour (Chris); and her nieces Kathleen and Molly.

A viewing will take place 3:30-4:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 8 at Welch-Ryce-Haider Funeral Chapels, 50 Ward Drive, Santa Barbara.

A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, April 9 at 5444 Hollister Ave., Santa Barbara. A burial will follow at about 11:30 a.m. at Calvary Cemetery 199 N. Hope Ave., Santa Barbara.