ATLANTA--Grace Murphy Faust, long-time employee in parishes of the archdiocese and one of the first presidents of the Atlanta Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women, died March 7, following complications after surgery at St. Joseph’s Hospital. She was 82.

A native of Huntsville, Ala., Mrs. Faust, always known as Murphy, worked over the past 36 years at the Cathedral of Christ the King and at Holy Spirit Church in Atlanta. She began her career as executive secretary to Msgr. John McDonough, then rector of the Cathedral. She transferred along with Msgr. McDonough in his assignments as pastor of Holy Spirit and then as rector again at the Cathedral, where she also became the parish bookkeeper.

When Msgr. McDonough retired as rector of the Cathedral in 1987 to become a parochial vicar at Holy Spirit, she continued to serve as his secretary until his death in 1992. She also worked as the bookkeeper at Holy Spirit Church until her retirement in 1997.

Married to the late Edward (Pete) Faust, she was also an active volunteer in many areas of church life, a talented organizer and stickler for details. One of the first to serve as president of the AACCW, she also served as the province director for the National Council of Catholic Women. She served as the copy editor for Holy Spirit’s weekly bulletin until she entered St. Joseph’s Hospital Feb. 26 and she edited the news bulletin for the community where she resided for the past 20 years.

The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at Holy Spirit Church on March 10, with burial at Arlington Memorial Park in Sandy Springs.

She is survived by two sons, Ed of Lavonia and David of Altus, Okla.; three daughters, Carol Bauer Hammontree of Roberta, Mary Barrett of Hiawassee and Debralee Laseur-Wright of Tallahassee, Fla., and eight grandchildren.