Vivian Murphy Bullington passed away on June 9, 2023 at the age of 101. She was born Vivian Lyon Murphy in Knoxville, TN on May 11, 1922 to Ernest and Martha Murphy. She moved with her parents to Daytona Beach, FL when she was 10 years old, and was a 1940 graduate of Mainland High School. While at Mainland she held many class offices and was selected by her classmates as "Best All Around" her senior year. It was at Mainland that she met her future husband, Paul Bullington. Following high school, Vivian attended the Mary Karl Vocational School before marrying Paul in 1943. Vivian and Paul moved their family to St. Augustine in 1952, where Vivian was a homemaker who excelled at cooking, hand sewing many of her girls' clothes, and creating decorative needle art. She was involved in all aspects of her children's lives, volunteering at Blue Birds, Camp Fire Girls, and piano and dance lessons. She was an active member of Grace Methodist Church, where she taught Sunday school and served as president of United Methodist Women.
When the family moved back to Daytona Beach in 1962, Vivian continued her church activities at First United Methodist Church. She was most proud of her work as a group leader of Bible Study Fellowship and her 10 years spent as a Halifax Hospital Auxiliary volunteer in surgical intensive care. Later in life she and Paul became members of First Presbyterian Church of Daytona Beach, the church where they were married. Vivian wrote beautifully (she often shared that she would love to have been a journalist), had impeccable style, carried herself always with poise, which she taught by example, and could beat everyone she knew at a good Scrabble game.
Vivian was preceded in death by her husband, Paul, of 74 years, a half-brother Jean Murphy, and a great grandson, Jake Acker. Left with a legacy of love are her three daughters, Barbara Willis, Martha King and her husband Ronnie, and Paula Jensen; five grandchildren, David Willis, Laura Acker, Donna Wendland, and Brad and Ben King; and nine great grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at 11:00 AM on Friday, June 30th, at Lohman Funeral Home, 1423 Bellevue Avenue, Daytona Beach.