Born in Boston on Christmas Day, 1933, Art lived in Hingham before moving to Scituate in 1942, where he attended Scituate schools and graduated from Scituate High School in 1951.
An Army veteran, Art served three years active duty in the Army and 25 years in the Army National Guard and Reserve. He was Public Information Officer for the 26th (Yankee) Infantry Division and later served as the State Information Officer on the staff of the Adjutant General of Massachusetts. He retired from the military in 1993 as a Lt. Colonel.
Art attended Boston University, where in 1958, he was named “Man of the Year” and inducted into the University’s “Scarlet Key” honor society. He graduated with honors from the BU School of Journalism in 1961. After graduation, he was named Sports Information Director at his alma mater, a position he held for nine years, during which time he also served as the play-by-play radio voice for both Terrier football and hockey.
He left BU in 1969, and subsequently spent two years as the Public Affairs Director for a national trade association of insurance companies and then two years as Publicity Director for the newly formed World Hockey Association’s New England Whalers.
When the Whalers moved to Hartford, Art remained in Boston, where he founded and served as Publisher of two regional sports magazines: Yankee Hockey and Yankee Golfer.
In 1977 Art returned to BU, where he served in numerous positions, including Director of Alumni Communications and Assistant Athletic Director. He also served as Director of Alumni Relations and as a member of the adjunct Public Relations faculty for 10 years at the College of Communication.
In 1989 Art moved to the Boston Public Library where he served as its Public Information Officer for ten years.
In 1999, Art received the Publicity Club of New England’s coveted “Super Bell Award” for the most outstanding public relations campaign in New England in recognition of his efforts to publicize the Boston Public Library’s (BPL) Sesquicentennial Anniversary.
Upon his retirement from the BPL, he remained active in professional and civic activities. Art served as a public relations consultant and publicist for a number of clients including: Tufts and Boston Universities, Weymouth Athletic Club, Mass Buying Power and the International Track Association.
As a member of Scituate Library Foundation’s Board of Directors for a number of years, he was the founding force behind the Foundation’s annual Gala fundraiser.
Art was a member of the Scituate Post #144 of the American Legion and the Scituate Knights of Columbus. He was also a long-time Friend of Bill Wilson and founder of the Scituate New Freedom Group.
Art is survived by his wife, Diana, two sons: Walter V. of Marblehead, MA and Michael J. of Plymouth. He is also survived by four daughters: Linda Jorgensen of Raynham; Laura O’Grady of Cohasset; Lisa Hatch of North Attleboro and Denise Carpenter of Brockton. He leaves three step children: Douglas and Scott Moe, both of Brooklyn, NY and Kara Ammon of Francestown, NH. Also two brothers; Vincent F. of Beverly and J. Michael of Plymouth; two sisters: Carole Vickery of Hingham and Patricia Seneski of Scituate; 17 grandchildren and two great grandchildren -- and numerous nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by his first wife, L. Jean (Hayward) Dunphy and son, Arthur (AJ) Dunphy, Jr.
Visiting hours will be on Wednesday, March 26th in the Richardson-Gaffey Funeral Home, 382 First Parish Rd, Scituate from 4pm-8pm. A Funeral Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated in St. Mary of the Nativity Church, 1 Kent St, Scituate on Thursday, March 27th at 11AM. Burial to follow in Fairview Cemetery, Scituate.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Arthur’s name may be made to Memorial Contribution Scituate Library Foundation, 85 Branch St, Scituate, MA 02066
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