Shawna Marie (Bird) Murphy, 45, passed away unexpectedly on January 15, 2026, in Oxford, Ohio, following an acute illness. Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, and raised in central Florida and Ohio, Shawna made her home in the Greater Cincinnati area as an adult.

Shawna is survived by her sons, Logan Murphy and Connor Murphy; her gentle pit bull mix, Bella, who lived with Connor; her two rescue cats; her brothers, John Bird and Dwayne Bird, Jr.; her sister in law Alicia; her nephew Gabriel; and her many Bird and Benjamin aunts, uncles, and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Karlene and Dwayne Bird, Sr.; her maternal grandparents, Dale and Connie Benjamin; her paternal grandparents, Oin and Margaret Bird; and three beloved pets-Morgan (Logan’s miniature pinscher), Lily the cat, and Bleu the Australian Shepherd.

In the early years of her career, Shawna worked alongside her parents managing the Oakley UDF in the 2000s, later ran the Jewish Hospital (Kenwood) coffee kiosk for her friend and mentor Jackie Kroger in the 2010s, and most recently served as a bank teller with MyUSA Credit Union in Hamilton, Ohio. She continued working into the 2020s until her Parkinson’s disease progressed to the point that she could no longer do so.

Shawna remained deeply grateful for nearly two decades of compassionate care provided to both her and her mother by Cara Jacob, University of Cincinnati Neurology and Movement Disorders staff, and the UC specialty pharmacists.

Shawna’s greatest joy in life was being a mother to Logan and Connor, her sons with her ex husband Brian Murphy. She was a proud soccer mom who cheered faithfully from the sidelines and stands as her boys played in the Deer Park Soccer League, for Deer Park and Middletown High School teams, and for several Cincinnati area club teams, including Ohio United and Lakota FC.

Shawna would also want to acknowledge the supportive care she received from Women Helping Women, the Butler County YMCA, her mental health team, and the many friends and extended family members who offered help during difficult times --of which there were many.

Family and friends are invited to gather in remembrance on Friday, January 30, 2026 with visitation at 5 p.m. and a service at 6 p.m., at Community Missionary Baptist Church, 4545 Forest Ave., Norwood, OH 45212.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Ever-Loved fund established to help Shawna’s college age sons with funeral expenses https://everloved.com/life-of… , or to the Parkinson’s Foundation https://www.parkinson.org/ or the SPCA of Hamilton County https://www.spcacincinnati.or…. Arrangements are entrusted to Staley-Strawser Funeral Home in Deer Park, Ohio. Online condolences may be shared at www.staleyfuneralhome.com.

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