Donald Leslie Murphy

Don was a life-long resident of the Kansas City area with the exception of his military service during World War II. He most recently lived at the Gardens at Barry Road with his wife, Lorene Hamblen Murphy. Don was blessed with good health until suffering numerous maladies related to the aging process during the past few years.

Don was born April 27, 1923 to the late Leslie Allan and Mabel Heath Murphy in Edgerton, Missouri. He is preceded in death by his older sister Gladys Murphy Myers of Kansas City; his younger brother Howard I. Murphy of Liberty, Missouri; his great grandson James Michael Reyes.

After graduating from North Kansas City High School, Don immediately went to work for the Cook Paint and Varnish Company prior to being drafted into the U.S. Army in February 1943. After being trained in the infantry, he became a third gunner on a mortar squad and then eventually, through a fault of Murphy’s Law he was offered and accepted a job as a chaplain’s assistant. For this he was assigned a Thompson submachine gun and a Jeep. Having never fired a shot in the war, Don was among the first to enter the concentration camp at Buchenwald and witnessed first-hand the atrocities suffered by the Jewish people.

Upon returning from his military service, Don went back to work at Cook Paint and Varnish Company as Manager, Inventory Control that required him to travel thousands of miles each year. He retired from Cook in May 1986. His “retirement” job took him into the carpet business for which he worked 26 years, mostly on Saturdays, but he gave each member of his family every penny that he earned there, after his tithe.Don was a devout Christian man who served as deacon at Linden Baptist Church and as deacon and Chairman of the Deacons at Gashland Baptist Church for many years. He also served in many other capacities in those churches including Sunday school teacher and superintendent. Most recently Don was a member of First Baptist Church, North Kansas City.

Family was so important to Don and he commented on many occasions how blessed he and all the rest of us are to have such a close family who enjoy being together. He relished those moments when the whole family was together for holidays and could be seen just smiling as the commotion unfolded.

Don is survived by his wife of 68 years, Lorene Hamblen Murphy; his son and daughter-in-law John and Sherry Murphy of Kansas City, MO; his daughter and son-in-law Dianna and Steve Link of Lenexa, KS; His four grandchildren; Lesley and Steve Boulton of Bennington, NE; Audrey and Mikey Reyes of King William, VA; David and Jevette Link of Overland Park, KS; Christy and Karl Seele of Belvue, KS. Don is also survived by eight great-grandchildren; Shiloh Link, Lexington Link, David Link, Elijah Seele, Emma Seele, Amber Boulton, Alexandra Boulton and arriving October 8, Regan Reyes. Don’s sole surviving sibling Truman Murphy and his wife, Pat Murphy of Kansas City, Missouri and Barbara Murphy of Kansas City, Missouri, wife of the late Howard Murphy.