Frank Carr Murphy

Frank Murphy was born an identical twin to John and Mildred (Preskitt) Murphy in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He grew up in Knoxville, Tennessee and graduated from Knoxville High School. In 1959 he enlisted in the Air Force and was later stationed in South Dakota where he tested and operated top secret military surveillance equipment.

Frank married while in the Air Force, which transferred him many times with his wife and daughter, Carole. After his honorable discharge in 1964, Frank attended Sul Ross University in Alpine, Texas where he majored in English.

Subsequently, Frank had many opportunities to display his engineering skills with employers such as NASA, Arlington Medical Center, and the Baptist Medical Center where he was a trouble-shooter who worked on heart monitors. He also worked in the field of metrology (the science of measurement), in which his duties involved product control and quality standards.

In the 1970's Frank and his family moved to Austin, Texas. There he began working for Applied Materials and was part of a team that constructed machines that produced computer chips.

After his divorce, Frank began volunteering in social outreach ministry at

Saint Mary's Cathedral. There he met Kathleen Leary and they married in 2004.

Frank was a Renaissance man. Because he was usually low-key, Frank rarely talked about his amazing talents and skills. Some examples are song writing, poetry (especially Haiku), and sailing. He taught himself to sail and won several sailing regattas. He also invented a patented emergency safety mask.

Somewhere along the way Frank learned the Heimlich maneuver. With it he saved three people from choking, including Kathleen. Frank also counseled troubled youth in a mental hospital.

Upon retiring, Frank and Kathleen began traveling. In the spring of 2007, they took a road trip to California and dipped their toes in the Pacific. That fall they traveled through New England where they dipped their toes in the Atlantic. In 2012 they flew to Ireland and its 426 shades of green, clear blue water, multiple rainbows, ancient castles and spontaneous tavern music. There Frank fulfilled a dream and sang "Irish Rover" in Murphy's Pub in Killarney.

In recent years, Frank enjoyed sailing with Kathleen on Lake Travis on the "Irish Rover", their 22 foot sailboat. An avid poker player, Frank loved to bluff.

For 30 years, Frank served breakfast to the homeless in downtown Austin every Wednesday morning.

In 2006 Frank and Kathleen joined Holy Spirit Episcopal Church and its choir. Frank added his full deep bass to both the choir and by reading at services. He also participated in the Men's Bible Study Group and Open Table. He faithfully fried up many mounds of enticing bacon for the monthly Men's Club Breakfast.

Frank had a quick Irish wit, a generous spirit, and an unwavering dedication to helping others.

Frank is preceded in death by his parents, his older brother Charles, and his twin brother, John. He is survived by his wife Kathleen Leary, his daughter Carole Eckhardt and her husband Rob, his older sister Barbara Ritmanich and nieces Nella Blakesley and Sherry Griffith. He is also survived by stepsons Bryan Feser, Mark Feser and wife Dannie, Craig Feser and wife Brenda Avalos Feser, his grandchildren Kaili Kreiner, Forest, and Adrienne Eckhardt, and his stepgrandchildren Mike Feser and wife Becca, Michelle Feser, Lindsey Feser and Devin Feser.

Services will be at 11am on October 5 at Holy Spirit Episcopal Church, 301 Hays Country Acres Road, Dripping Springs, TX 78620-4282.

In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be offered to the Austin Resource Center for the Homeless (ARCH), 500 E 7th Street, Austin, Texas, 78701.