Terry Murphy first came to the Cranston Senior Center as a clerk just a couple years out of college. On Friday, the director of Senior Services will leave after a career that spanned close to two decades.

“A lot of the people who were here really saw me grow up. They became that extended family,” she said. “It’s like leaving a family behind.”

The 44-year-old Murphy will now head south to serve as the director of Leisure Services in South Kingstown, a position that combines both senior services and elements from parks and recreation.

“It’s just a broader scope and it’s a good fit for me, I think,” she said.

The job is a growth opportunity for the Warwick resident. Thanks to a trust set up in the town, Murphy will have more funding than what she is used to on the recreation side. Moreover, she will be in charge of a lot of the activities she enjoys in her free time. She and her husband Kevin, along with their children Matthew and Maggie, are very active and enjoy biking, running and skiing.

“It’s a big loss for us but I understand and certainly support Terry in her move to South Kingston,” said Mayor Allan Fung. “It’s a fabulous growth opportunity for her.”

Fung worked with Murphy for only a short time, but had nothing but good things to say and said that attitude is shared across city departments.

“We were very, very sad to lose Terry,” added Director of Administration Robin Muksian-Schutt, who called Murphy “likable and compassionate.”

“She’s a tremendous colleague, she’s well-respected by the staff across the board here and she’s done great service for the seniors in the community.”

Murphy made an impression during her first decade with the center. She left in 2000 for a human services position in the private sector and a brief stint with the Town of East Greenwich, before returning to Cranston as the director in 2007.

“I think it was just the personal connections with people that kept me here,” she said.

Some of the seniors using the center during her first stretch were thrilled to see her return. Murphy was married during her time at the center and recalls being serenaded by a senior before her big day.

“I must have about 50 of my wedding announcements from the paper because they all brought them in for me,” she said, laughing.

Tom Ardillo was one of the seniors who got to know Murphy well through her tenure. A volunteer senior, he even taught her how to ballroom dance.

“She’s the greatest person I ever met,” he said on Friday, glancing at Murphy with a wide grin. “She did a lot of things for me.”

Making her way through the hallways at the senior center, Murphy stops often to talk to the members. The conversation is more than superficial; she knows their names and they know her kids, and they exchange personal stories that agree with her description of the center “family.” Although Murphy said she takes the finances of the job very seriously, it’s the people that make the position what it is.

“I know this sounds so cliché, but just being with the people and developing relationships, I think is a huge part of growing the agency,” she said. “A lot of elderly people are on their own. Those people might not have children that live around the block so we become that component.”

Murphy always knew she wanted to work with people. One of 11 children, she has no problem striking up conversations with strangers. She went to the University of Rhode Island for education and taught junior high school for one year. She realized that population wasn’t a fit, but it didn’t take long for the seniors to win her over.

The difference between when she started and today, however, is who fits that senior designation.

“I think there’s an identity crisis with senior agencies. I see senior services evolving because we’ve now ventured into the baby boomer population,” she said.

The average age of center members is mid- to late-70s, she said, but one of her primary goals has been reaching out to the “younger” senior to keep them up to date on what services and programs are available to them. Cranston has hosted several evening informational sessions, for example, about topics like Medicare.

“We’ve tried to reach out to those distinct populations. That’s a work in progress and it always will be,” she said.

Despite the challenges, Murphy says it has been a pleasure working in Cranston for so many years.

“I think despite it being the third largest city in the state, it’s very community-oriented,” she said, noting that the city is also increasingly diverse, which has made her job enjoyable.

Moving forward, what will come of Murphy’s position is unclear.

“The mayor is considering a number of different options but nothing specific at this point,” said Muksian-Schutt.

“We’re taking a look at a lot of different options,” the mayor echoed, not indicating whether some kind of position consolidation might take place as a result of Murphy leaving. “Right now we’ve got the resources internally to make sure the seniors don’t see any impact on services.”

Whoever fills the spot or takes over her duties, Murphy said he or she must allow the existing staff to do their jobs, and have to be able to interact with all kinds of people. Creating partnerships within the community, she said, is another important aspect.

Murphy applauded Fung’s emphasis on senior services and said she was sure he would make the right decision for the city. Still, facing a new set of challenges feels bittersweet.

“It’s exciting for me, although I will miss everyone terribly,” she said. “I’m not going very far so hopefully I’ll come back to visit.”