My first true love. Very sad to see his passing. Remember GIgi, ,Michael and his parents. My condolences to you and your family. 
Cathy Pariser Zenenberg 

Take a cozy suburban home and two generous, good-humored hosts. Add three generations of family; Circulate a chaos of happy kids; Lay down a soft drone of TV football; Share the latest family news, commentary and plenty of laughter; Mellow out with wine and beer and keep-it-coming-if-you-please; Top it all off with a roast turkey-with-all-the-trimmings feast. What have you got?

A classic, unforgettable Ronnie and Dick Mount Prospect Thanksgiving Celebration! Thanks, Dick!

I worked with Dick at TTX Company.  He had  the  driest sense of humor.  Funny guy.  Great manager.  RIP 

(Part II)
Dick Murphy had a marvelous sense of humor & was a kind & generous soul. He received a company award for his FMO growth and proceeded to commission an artist to make jewelry boxes with stained glass for each of his managers & his secretary. He presented them to us at a Christmas dinner party in his home & said we all shared in his award.  He was fond of asking restaurant wait staff if they wanted to flip double or nothing for the tip. The server would be caught off guard. More than once I tried to wink or signal not to worry. Of course, the server never lost.  Once at a committee dinner in Vera Cruz, MX Dick intentionally gave the waiter his AT&T Calling Card (remember those?) instead of his credit card. 

The Monday morning staff meetings were always interesting during college football season. While Dominic Filiaggi totaled up the previous week's shop production,  Dick would eagerly await an overnight package from Jim Panza in Hollidaysburg with all the local Penn State game clippings. 

Dick was a great storyteller & used to regale me with stories of his basic Marine Corps training @ Parris Island & his New York Central RR days before TTX.  His story about being the Master Mechanic on the Bobby Kennedy funeral train from New York to Washington, DC was poignant.  

Rest in piece Murph. We'll all miss you!

Pat Ameen     
















What can you say about Richard Murphy? Where does one even begin? Dick was a loving husband, father, and grandfather. 

Our paths first crossed in the late 1970's. Dick was Director Mechanical Services for Trailer Trian Company and he was making a presentation on truck bolster reconditioning in Chicago at the Car Department Officers Association annual Technical Conference.  I would go to TTX a few years later (1979). Little did I know that in mid-1982 Dick would become my boss. 

It was an honor & privilege to have served on Dick's staff for 7 years. Not only was he the best boss I ever had, he was a true mentor.  He gave me the freedom to make mistakes & learn from them.  Only once can I recall receiving a severe "reprimand" (& yes, I deserved it).  After I initially turned down an AAR job in Washington, DC in 1989 Murph called me into his office & gently pointed out that I should take the job. (He was of course right.) What sort of boss unselfishly advises a staff member to leave for a better job? Dick Murphy.  

It was heartwarming to meet Dick & Ronnie a year ago, spend some time together, & catch up.  We had planned to meet again a few months ago but sadly his health prevented doing that.

In addition to a long run as Director Equipment Maintenance, Dick is recognized as the originator of what became the now extensive TTX Field Operations literally starting in early 1984 with "2 men & a truck" on a piece of C&NW railroad leased track in Chicago.  Most people may be unaware that Dick sketched a portable in-situ hydraulic jacking device concept on a cocktail napkin & asked Dick Smith to make a prototype @ American Hydraulics. Portable freight car jacking devices are now ubiquitous @ intermodal loading facilities & repair facilities around North America.

Dick was a talented artist. More than once a TTX employee admired a Murphy painting in his office & he took it off the wall & gave it away. (I have a Murphy painting in my home office.)             
 

     

I have many treasured childhood memories of my Uncle Dick: hosting cookouts in the backyard of his house in Mount Prospect, graciously putting up with our sleepovers on the living room floor (which involved very little sleep and lots of singing), driving with Aunt Ronnie up front while all us cousins were going bananas in the backseats, and of course laughing at the comedy routines we performed for Grandma, Grandpa and all the aunts and uncles in Oconomowoc. He was a good man. Always welcoming, kind, and fun to have conversations with. I will miss him. My heartfelt condolences to his beloved family members. Each of you are in my prayers.

One of my oldest and best friends, I was so sorry to hear of "Murph's" recent passing.  We grew up together and go back to the early 50"s.  What made Dick so great and endearing was his great demeanor, always nice, calm, respectful to all.  He truly was always the quintessential gentleman, well liked by anyone who knew him, whether it was an acquaintance or a best friend. So many memories that will last forever...BR, Murph and myself were a mighty threesome, as recently as our FL vaca 6 years ago when we stayed at Gigi's condo.  My best to Ronnie and the rest of the entire family. I close my eyes and I'm on the porch of Murph's wonderful house on Beach Ave in Larchmont.
RIP my great friend and we will meet again soon.
Your Bud... BK, ( the other Bruce)

AVIS DE DÉCÈS

Richard Marshall Murphy Jr.

14 octobre 1940 – 22 novembre 2020

Mullins & Thompson Funeral Service

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