WHAT MAKES A DAD

God took the strength of a mountain, the majesty of a tree, the warmth of a summer sun, the calm of a quiet sea, the generous soul of nature, the comforting arm of night, the wisdom of the ages, the power of the eagle's flight, the joy of a morning in spring, the faith of a mustard seed, the patience of eternity, the depth of a family need.  Then God combined these qualities and when there was nothing more to add, He knew His masterpiece was complete and so He called it . . .  Dad

Page 1
     In case you never had the good luck to meet my dad, I would like to give you a glimpse of this great man we love so much. Think of the things in that little black bag from the Wizard of Oz - 
a remarkable brain, an abundance of courage and a huge heart. But his gifts of the three theological virtues are his greatest and my dad's faith, hope and love all intertwine with his other gifts of intelligence, bravery and devotion.  
     My dad had a sharp mind, with success in all subjects. He could figure numbers quickly in his head, but also could teach it. When I was in grade school and my math teacher thoroughly confused me, my dad would explain it so clearly that I could figure the problems easily. I don’t know how he found the time or energy to help his 7th child with her homework after working all day. He taught me there were shortcuts to everything. He also taught me to do my own taxes and to never to be afraid of the IRS because they were not as smart as everyone thinks. You just needed to stand your ground and maybe raise your voice a bit. He taught me to earn my money and drove me to work with him on Saturdays to Murphy's 5 & 10. After his dime store closed, he went into the printing business and had to kind of reinvent himself in his 50s learning brand new technology with the computer age and came up with the name Murphy the Printer after using his brilliant mind to get out of the franchise Minuteman Press.  I loved working with him.  He was the best boss I ever had.  (Kevin you are second) You may think I am biased, but just ask anyone who ever worked for him. He was generous and fair and did not make you feel bad if you made a mistake. 
He did not take his frustrations out on his employees, but instead on the equipment.  

Page 2  It was funny when he cussed at work because he would say things that you couldn’t help but laugh at, such as yelling “bastard!' when he dropped a piece of paper that was difficult to pick up on that concrete floor or “Way to go Bill!” (Gates) for any aggravation with the computer. Even after having a stroke, he could still remember the statistics of a variety of sports players, continued to work and do the books, and was even there to help my children with their studies in his 70s. 
     Math was not the only subject he excelled in. He had a large vocabulary to the point that I had to look up words he used casually, but were not used commonly by most people. The only word I know that was not part of his vocabulary was "quitter". He made history so much more interesting than my teachers at school and his memory for facts was phenomenal. He was also a master at English.  He knew when to put in more detail, when it was important to keep it brief and when to “put a little BS in it”.  He could quote many lines from literature. I guess from having to memorize Shakespeare's “Quality of Mercy” in jug (which he could still recite in his 80s).
      He was a fantastic story teller. He mixed the dramatic flair of his mom’s storytelling with his father's great wit; always embellishing to make you feel like you were there and get a smile or laugh out of you. He had a wonderful sense of humor and I must have gotten the love of playing jokes on people from him. He thought it was hilarious to wake up Bridget and I for school by pretending to trumpet Reveille and wouldn't stop until we got up.  He told me so many stories about playing jokes on people like his friends when he was little with the cat clinging to his friend's sweater and the one about a business competitor who he knew was trying to rip him off so he fooled him instead. We tried to trick my mom, but most of the time she was wise to it because she knew him well after so many years together.  

Page 3 from Katie
The Odd Couple was one of his favorite movies probably because he could see himself and my mom in those characters. The Sting was another one of his favorites and I will miss watching it with him.  He told stories up to the end of his life and we loved it. Most were comical, but some were serious and he would be very emotional. He told us many stories of him being an altar boy and how it was a choice between bell or book.  Religion was the subject he knew best and taught us all. He knew the stories of the saints, and all the prayers and so forth, but he taught us most by example along with my mom.
     I don't know if people realize how courageous he was.  He takes courage to be that selfless. He married very young and gave up the things a 19 year old boy would do because he was devoted to his wife and children. He worked very hard to provide while still attending college and with very little money.  He did without for himself, but not just early on.  He was selfless his entire life.  He faced tragedy and heartbreak over and over, but had strong faith to courageously go on after their first born David was tragically killed at age 9.  Thank God they had each other and were both strong in their faith.  Little did he know he would have more suffering to endure with my mom before he left this world.  They did everything they possibly could for their daughter Bridget after she became permanently disabled from a vaccine watching her gradually getting worse until her death.  They accepted it and gave her courage too. I remember him lifting my sister Bridget into the car and up the stairs even though it was hard for him. He went along with Bridget and I to see Jerry Seinfeld at the Fox Theatre so he could help us and protect us in case anything went wrong. 

Page 4 from Katie
He suffered the great loss of his brother Frank, who he never stopped telling funny stories about, (especially the golf one), his 
son-in-law Bob who was more of a son than in-law. His death affected him deeply because he loved him and knew how devastating it was to his daughter Colleen and his grandsons. Then he suffered the death of his own parents as he watched them get old and sick. I remember him going to visit my grandma in the nursing home after long hours at work and driving 40 minutes away to go see her and all the stories he told of his dad. I knew how much he missed him. And then the loss of his severely disabled granddaughter, my baby Angelina who he loved and treated no different than any of his other grandchildren. He gave us all courage to carry on with just the right words.  
     He was the most optimistic person I have ever known and that hope is just what I needed when I did not think I could do it anymore.  It's hard to say what is his greatest gift, but that has got to be at the top of what I most admire about him and what I will miss the most.  He encouraged me to never give up when I was going through divorce court. He went with me gave me that undying hope.   I knew I could find the strength to overcome anything with his encouraging words. I still have the card he gave me where he wrote, “Don’t give up the ship.”  He came by my house every Wednesday and every other weekend without fail to be a witness for me if I was falsely accused of not allowing my children visitation with their father.  He was a shining example of a dad to not only his children, but his grandchildren. 


Page 5 from Katie
He pushed himself to overcome the impossible like walking after the docs said he wouldn't and was willing to do any exercise that the therapist gave him.  I think he encouraged other patients in therapy too with his attitude.  He endured his sufferings with unbelievable patience.  Lying there in that bed for three years with nothing but the television and with hardly any vision left in one eye and none in the other. It drove me nuts, but he did not complain! He truly offered up all his sufferings and with incredible humility. He was so grateful to be able to go to Mass. It broke my heart not to be able to take him anymore when he was bed bound. He asked for nothing. 
     He had a heart of gold.  He was completely devoted to God and his Catholic faith, his wife, his children, family and friends. You would think he and my mom were newly weds they way he looked at her and spoke of her. He was in awe of her beauty inside and out. He would say to me, “Mom sure is a pretty woman” or “Look how cute mom is in her little red coat” and “I like to watch Mom pray”.  He admired her and would never allow disrespect to her.  He would give Valentine candy hearts to not just his wife, but his mom and his mother in-law and me after my divorce. He loved all of us children best by loving our mother so very much. He sure loved babies. He enjoyed holding them and loved the touch of their little hands on his face and teasing them when they got older, especially with his prank of gently tapping their diaper from behind and saying “Ruff - Where’d that doggie go?” 
     He loved God first. He spoke the truth even if we didn’t want to hear it and he spoke with certainty on moral matters. He defended the truth because the truth cannot be denied from an honest person and that he was.  There was no condoning of mortal sins, although he would forgive anything if we were truly sorry just like our Father in Heaven. 

Page 6 from Katie He would never expect us to do anything he didn’t expect of himself.  He taught us love and compassion. He just told it to us straight. He judged people on their character not color. He was an early pro-life activist with my mom right there by his side defending the unborn. He would stand up for any innocent defenseless human being and had empathy for anyone suffering. He certainly had his share of suffering himself and I believe he has earned his Sainthood and will continue to be an advocate in Heaven because “There is no place like Home.”  Miss you Dad.
Love, 
Your youngest, 
Katie


Uncle DJ raised his family to be kind, generous and intelligent.  Just like he was his entire life. I am honor to have had Uncle DJ as a role model.  Aunt Ginnie and family, prayers and condolences. Rodney 

Ginnie, Mike, Kevin, Tim, Colleen and Katie, so sorry to hear about your Dad’s passing.  I enjoyed reading all your memories of him.  Wish I could have been there for the service.  It’s been a long time since I have seen all of you.  Sorry about that.  Your Dad was a strong courageous Irish Catholic man.  I’m know he has earned his wings to heaven 10 times over.  Love Sharon and Mike Schrader.

Part 1:  As I thought about my memories of you, I realized we have a lot more in common than I ever considered. 

I tend to get really excited at the end of the day or on a Sunday afternoon to watch sports, even though I always fall asleep on the couch. I have this distinct memory of you and I watching a basketball game in your basement when Michael Jordan was playing. “The only time I watch basketball is when he’s playing”. You recognized the greatness even though you didn’t typically like people from Chicago. Of course, my love for cardinal baseball comes from you. At the last game we went to, Michael Wacha was one out away from throwing a no hitter. He probably should’ve gotten the last guy out, but I think you wanted to stay just a little longer. And there’s no better person to watch a Sunday round of golf with. You would tell me about Freddie couples and Chi Chi Rodriguez and Arnold Palmer. Legends. 

And speaking of golf, I’m like really into it now. I love talking shit on my friends too. I play with the same group of guys every week and there’s this one guy who always hits it in the water on the same hole. He just  can’t clear it. Well one time, and this was years ago, he cleared it but he hit a tree, and it came right back to the water. I laughed so hard. Anyway, thank you for showing me how to properly grip a club - interlock, just like Tiger -  and I still think “slow backswing” when I start my swing. I remember you being so proud of me after going to the driving range one day. You were bragging to the rest of the family about how I could hit the ball 100 yards. I’m still can’t hit it much further but that’s beside the point. Of course, I never forget to address the ball - “hello, ball!” Remember when we got caught in that rainstorm? Good times. 

7.  I will never forget him spending hours with me figuring out word problems for my Algebra class during my freshman year in high school. I remember asking him that I felt I should not be asked to do as many chores because I had so much extra work now that I was in high school. He smiled and answered that you only get more responsibility and work as you get older, but that God increases your ability to manage it.
Dad was always at his best during times of crisis and his tenderness would surface when most needed. When we faced a real crisis or got into big trouble, we went to him first because although he was quick to anger, he was just as quick to forgive and forget. Dad was an opinionated and confident man but also very humble. He admitted his faults readily and worked hard to overcome them. When he was asked about going to heaven to see his son, daughter, parents, brother, and others, he said he was not assuming anything and hoped would get to heaven eventually but was sure he had time owed in purgatory. 
Dad was an avid sports fan and had a tremendous knowledge about the history of the St. Louis Cardinals and was immensely proud of this alma mater St. Louis University six national soccer championships. He was a great athlete and a high school track star and loved to tell the story about competing against the nationally known comic and activist, Dick Gregory. Das was a notorious tease and could pull off a joke with the best straight face you ever saw. He was also a great songwriter. Who could forget the classic lyrics, “Michael has a great big ear my dear and Kevin has a great big toe ho ho.”  Although mom would sometimes roll her eyes when he would tell a story for the umpteenth time, I wanted to hear it umpteen and one, just to see him crack up before he could finish the story. Dad was certainly not perfect, but I can imagine no other. 
Love you always,
Mike  


6.  Dad had his first stroke in 1998 which slowed him up quite a bit, but he worked hard to recover. So hard that he wound up injuring himself on the treadmill. Subsequent strokes starting in 2011 were more serious and left him less able to care for himself and for the past ten years has depended on mom for most of his care. On June 17, 2016, intense sadness hit dad again with a third personal tragedy when Bridget died at home as her lungs could no longer function. Bridget was the best of us and if she were still here you would be reading a more coherent eulogy as she had a magical way with words. 
The past few years have been especially taxing for mom as we thought he was going to die several times. Dad was on hospice care for three years and despite the almost constant pain dad rarely complained and always expressed gratitude to his caregivers; especially mom. 
I know some people saw dad as a rigid old curmudgeon because of his passionate and sometimes nasty opinions that he spouted when he felt someone was not doing what he thought was the right thing or against the church. But he was a bit of a softie. After reading me the riot act for one of my transgressions and grounding me for life, he always relented and was quick to forgive; especially if I showed true remorse for my misdeeds and was willing to make up for it with a little extra work around the house, go to confession and/or attend an extra Mass during that week. Although dad was proud of his conservative political views, he was very liberal in his generosity to family, friends, the poor, and his beloved Catholic Church. He was also very liberal in dispensing sage advice and loved to teach you some of the wonderful lessons he learned from others especially from his uncle, Father Marion, or quote from the writings of St. Thomas Aquinas.  Although he could often be inpatient it was amazing the patience he showed when teaching you an important life lesson.


5.  During the summer of 1968 we moved once more. This time it was to St. Louis Hills into what I thought was a dream house and enjoyed some of the happiest days of my life attending nearby St. Raphael grade school and Bishop DuBourg High School.
During this time, Murphy 5-10 provided after school and summer jobs for me, and I enjoyed the colorful characters who shopped at the store. Things really became fun in 1974 when dad’s best friend since childhood, Rudy Roeder, bought the South Public Supermarket two blocks away and I moved down the street to work for Rudy. Dad and Rudy constantly played tricks on each other, and dad became known as Mr. President by one of the zaniest neighborhood characters. All good things had to end, however, as the big discounters (especially Walmart) moved into the urban areas making it tough for the little stores to survive. Dad decided to close shop in 1984 and look for a new business venture, but shortly before its closing a second personal tragedy hit.
Colleen’s husband Bob died after a sudden ice storm forced his car into a concrete barrier at McCausland and Highway 64. Bob was in a coma for 10 days before finally passing on Christmas Day 1983 leaving Colleen to raise three children under the age of six by herself. Of course, Colleen was not alone as dad and mom were there to help, consoling her and working to repair her emotional wreckage. Dad made sure he was there whenever she needed, providing needed consolation and support despite having just started up a new Minuteman printing business in Arnold, MO. Thanks to dad’s superb business acumen, the printing business was a smashing success and dad bought out his franchise and became Murphy the Printer.


4.  Intense personal tragedy marred both the beginning and ending of his tenure at the South Broadway store. On April 1, 1963, after a wildly successful grand opening, the worst day in the history of our family occurred when his oldest child and my big brother, David, was struck by a car and died from his injuries. David was just nine years old when he died but despite his youthful age was depended on by his parents to help watch over his younger siblings Mike (8), Kevin (7), Colleen (almost 5), and 11-month-old Tim. The sadness of this time was almost unbearable for our parents and devastated me and Kevin as well, as the three musketeers had lost their leader and hero. To this day I still feel uncomfortable being introduced as the oldest child of DJ and Ginnie Murphy.
A senseless tragedy like this would make most people’s faith be questioned if not abandoned altogether. Although the sadness never went completely away, dad and mom remained steadfast in their faith and trudged on refusing to give into despair and grief. Meanwhile, the business grew so successful that dad was able to buy out of the Ben Franklin franchise and become Murphy 5-10. Mom was finally able to get a desperately needed bigger home and two more daughters came along with the birth of Bridget in 1965 and Katie in 1967. 
Tests of faith continued for my I as Bridget began having trouble with her physical development and did not start walking until after age two. She began tests and various medicines and treatments at this time and continued enduring these experiments for most of her life. Bridget eventually was confined to a wheelchair later in life but gamely went along, never complaining and her brilliant intellect, wit, and stubbornness helped her thrive and even become a college graduate. 


3.  My dad ran two major businesses in his life and was phenomenally successful at both. For the past thirty-seven plus years it has been the printing business known as Murphy the Printer (which my brother Kevin has taken over for the past several years). But it was dad’s management and ownership of several 5-10 variety “dime” stores that was his true love in his business life. It all began in the 1950s when dad started out as a manager for his older brother Frank managing a Ben Franklin store in East St. Louis. Only in his twenties, dad may have been the youngest manager in Ben Franklin history.
With the help of his father, he opened his own Ben Franklin store on 23rd and North Market in north St. Louis which he passed on to younger brother Gene to take on a risky venture with a Ben Franklin store in Wellston in the early 1960s. Dad gambled that the deteriorating area had hit bottom and would return to its vibrance of the 1940s and 1950s when it was one of the top shopping areas in the entire country. Unfortunately, the neighborhood in Wellston continued its downward slide into economic decay and the store closed. Undeterred, dad moved on to own the Ben Franklin at 7525 South Broadway in far southeast St. Louis, a move that changed his and his family’s life forever. He ran one of the most successful dime stores in St. Louis history from its opening in 1963 until he closed it in 1984. 


2.  Dad did not just preach his faith, he lived it, frequently going to confession, and attending religious retreats.  My dad not only had respect for the rules of the church but also had tremendous respect, devotion, and love for his family. He was married to our mom for over 68 years and if you ever wanted to invoke his volatile Irish-Polish temper, then do something even remotely showing you disrespected mom. He revered his parents; especially our Grandpa Murphy, one of the saintliest men you would ever meet. When I was a kid there were many occasions when he and his two brothers, Frank and Gene, would gather around the kitchen table in my grandparent’s home on Oleatha in south St. Louis. The conversations were always the same. Changes in the church, business at the dime stores they each ran, and sometimes discussions about sporting events or current politics. The brothers would all talk over each other getting louder and if you did not know them and passed by you would have thought they were ready to fight. The truth was they were usually agreeing with each other but had that brotherly competition on seeing who could get in the last word. But when my grandpa spoke, they all became quiet because of the respect they had for him. You could learn so much by just listening to them, and you better have just listened because in those days they were not interested in a kid’s opinion. You could learn more about running a small business from those conversations than a semester’s worth of college business classes. Topics included the importance of locations of stores, rent charges, competitors in the area and the intricacies of shrinkage (amount of dollars lost due to theft).

1  	Michael Murphy 
When my dad passed away early in the morning of January 29, 2022, I said to myself that it was a blessing because he was now forever relieved of the physical pain he had endured for over a decade. Afterall, 89 years is a long life by any measure but somehow it just does not feel long enough right now and although I say it, I selfishly do not feel all that blessed without him. All those things that I should or could have said or done for him are left unsaid or undone. All I have left is to try to explain to the world who David Joseph Murphy Jr. (DJ) really was and the indelible impact he left on me. 
My dad was foremost an unapologetically loyal and faithful Roman Catholic and would defend his faith at the drop of a hat, letting no snide anti-Catholic remarks go unchallenged. He hated change for the sake of change and despised what he called cafeteria Catholics whom he said would pick and choose which rules they wanted to follow. My dad was fully committed to the Prolife movement even before Roe vs. Wade and strongly believed all life deserved protection whether it was the unborn, elderly, disabled or the poor and generously donated to those in need. He often ridiculed office holders who conveniently abandoned their beliefs for political expediency or would lie, cheat, steal or commit adultery just because they could get away with it. 
One rule he strictly enforced on his children was ensuring we attend Mass every Sunday and every Holy Day of Obligation. He put reminders on each of our personal calendars so we would not forget those Holy Days. He made sure we all attended Catholic elementary and high schools and demanded that we always do our best. Dad and mom did without many things, forgoing “luxuries” like color TVs or vacations, so we would all get that important Catholic education. When I was old enough to work, he instructed the parish priest to send me weekly church envelopes to make sure I paid my $5 weekly offering.

Part 2:  I’m sure I wouldn’t be where I am today in the business world without your advice. I think I learned more about accounting and finance from working with you at Murphy the Printer than I ever did in a classroom. I remember you teaching me about balance sheets through the story about your dime store competitors: “they’d show a profit at the end of the year, but it’s all sitting on the shelf.” That’s how I learned about inventory. And you gave me my first lesson on options: “you’re not buying the stock, you’re just buying the option to buy it, see”. I ended up failing my derivatives class in college but that’s a different story. However, you’d think after all that time at the shop, I would know how to work the fax machine at my office. But that damn thing just never works. And I’ve never really been a big fan of technology (by the way, turns out you were basically right about Bill Gates all along). 

I’ve never been a smoker but after a long week or a day on the golf course, I do love a nice cigar. I haven’t perfected the smoke ring, but I’m working on it. 

I also love watching a good comedy, like the odd couple. And when it’s an option at a deli, I always pick the high calorie cream soda.

I guess what I’m saying is, I turned out to be a lot like you. I’m sure that’s not an accident. And that sounds pretty good to me. Love you and miss you, Grandpa. 

Dad turned me on to this album.  It's the swingin' ist!

Kevin holding up our dad because he could not sit up on his own anymore without support.

Tim p. 3:  
As we drove to work, he kept asking me if I was okay, thinking I might go all “Reefer Madness” at the 5-10.  It turned out to be a nice discussion.  I begged him not to tell Mom because she'd freak out. Dad agreed, but with conditions: He wouldn't tell my mother if I would quit smoking, go to confession, and go to mass one day out of the week besides Sunday. I remember recording the incident in my daily diary, writing “He’s reasonable.” 

My dad was always happy to help with education when I was young and in adulthood. All I had to do was bring my college economics class syllabus and a mini cassette recorder to him, and have him convey his knowledge about every question on the syllabus into the mic. I simply paraphrased what he said on the recording, and I got an A in economics. 
What I learned from my dad about management and self-discipline I still use every day at my school.  My career has taught me how much having good parents affects a child, and I appreciate all the sacrifices that were made for all of us.  It has made all the difference in the adult I have become.  
Thank you, Daddy-O! 

Love, Tim
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5Is5h_KvqA


Tim p. 2:  He wasn’t interested in Pink Floyd lyrics like I turned my mom onto, though.  He’d spout off about the “perverts on the wall” in the basement of 6449 Highfield Rd.  They were posters of Jethro Tull and of Alice Cooper wrapped in foil that Mike and Kevin tacked to the basement walls.  You couldn’t help laughing, even though he was mad.
Other good memories were of driving to work with him to the 5-10. It was a time when you could have interesting one-on-one discussions about what he was angry at me about, saving money, advice on girlfriend break-ups, or the importance of setting goals and disciplining oneself; whether it was playing soccer, learning an instrument, or doing well in school.  Having season tickets to the Blues games in the 70s really got us into hockey. The siblings took turns going to games at the arena.  He bought us two tiny hockey nets one Christmas and even played with us.  We grew up shooting at those mini nets, and when we played a rival team from the neighborhood with fancy, official-sized nets, we were scoring like crazy.  
Most people know he had a quick temper.  He was so mad when I saved up $250 to buy a guitar amplifier in 1978 because he wanted me to use my savings for a car.  To teach me a lesson, he made me work extra hours at the store.  I was 16, but the amp was more important to me at the time.  I’m sorry I never told him that I still use that same amp in my classroom with a microphone to have the kids read aloud.  I tell the kids that story every year.  It was the best $250 I’ve ever spent!  Another time I thought I was really cooked was when I was caught red-handed in the act of smoking one morning.  He made me empty my pockets and retrieve my smoking device.  After the initial shock of being busted, I was calm because he was more concerned than angry.  

Tim p. 1 
The best memories I have of my dad was in the late 1960s when he would come home from work at the end of a long week, have one beer, a cigar, and blast the stereo in the living room.  He would crank up Spike Jones, Louis Armstrong, and Herb Alpert’s Whipped Cream album, and that’s when I saw him the most relaxed in his life.  I sat with him studying all those albums.  They had a pretty nice collection that influenced me as a musician.  I feel fortunate that I got to listen to just about every record they had: Ragtime and boogie woogie piano players, dixieland jazz, big band instrumentalists and vocalists, Bill Haley and the Comets, Ray Charles, a 50s compilation album of tunes with Etta James, the Big Bopper, Jerry Lee Lewis, Frankie Ford singing Sea Cruise, & Bobby Day singing Rockin’ Robin. He liked Little Richard too, but the jazz albums influenced me the most.  My dad paid for my weekly piano lessons, and my mom taught me all the tunes from 30s & 40s, singing along as I learned them on the piano. I liked most of his albums, including the comedy albums like Allen Sherman, the Smothers Brothers, and Johnathan Winters. One unique album was Word Jazz by Ken Nordine.  This one in particular was a precursor of my later study of Jack Kerouac.  I found the CD version in 2000 and played some of the tracks for my 4th graders.  I became an auditory learner because of all the albums he used to play.  He didn’t have any Elvis.  He told me he thought he was a joke when he first saw him on the Ed Sullivan Show.  He hated the hippies and most of their music of the 60s and 70s. He did like a few Beatles tunes and tried to understand our generation. I remember him sitting on the toilet with a cigar in his mouth, reading a fold out with lyrics of the Beatles’ White Album.  He commented on some of the lyrics after he got off the pot.  He liked Rocky Raccoon and I could tell he liked some of their witty poetry.  

Please type in the link below to enjoy a clip from one of my dad's favorite scenes from the Odd Couple.
https://youtu.be/f_5nHV8FJyI 

While DJ certainly had his share of sorrows and losses, I remember his smile most of all.  I suppose one of my favorite memories is from back in the 80s when I owned a bar in South St. Louis (Shenanigans). DJ accompanied me to City Hall to ensure that his underage son, Tim, was approved to play music in my bar.
My sincere condolences to Ginnie and the rest of the family. May precious memories and hope of the resurrection sustain you all at this difficult time.

Love is patient and kind; Love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on it's own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong doing,  but rejoices with the truth.

DJ, ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I love you---always have.-------------------------------------------------------------
Jesus and Mary are taking care of you now.-------------------------------------
I'll be seeing you soon. -----------------------------------------------------------
Gin

One of the times Grandpa defied the odds and went back to work.  

Watching the Blues win the Stanley cup in 2019

Grandpa, I always remember you telling stories about things us grandkids said or did when we were little - sometimes chuckling so much you could hardly get the words out. I remember coming over to your house when I was younger and you would be watching golf on tv. You’d always  try to convince me to play golf. “Those women golfers are really good, Moll!” “They give college scholarships for women’s golf!” I’d always laugh and roll my eyes. I was fortunate to spend some time working with you at the print shop. You were passionate about your business and couldn’t wait to get back to the shop after stints in the hospital or rehab. You always proved doctors and nurses wrong when they told you you’d never get back to the shop. I wish these last 10 years or so could have been easier for you. I wish my husband could’ve played golf with you. I think you both would’ve loved that. It broke my heart to see you suffer, but your determination and perseverance with every setback was so inspiring. You were one of a kind. You are a big part of why I pursued a career in nursing and I think of you when I care for my patients. I have this image of you in my mind from when I was a young girl. You’re sitting in that old red chair in the basement, smoking a cigar, blowing smoke rings with the biggest smile on your face - laughing and joyful. I’m not sure why that image sticks out to me. But, that’s how I like to picture you and how I will always remember you- smiling, laughing, joyful. And maybe it’s time I give golf a chance too. 

I love you, Grandpa and I will cherish the memories forever. 

Love, Molly

Dad had so many close calls, so many times we thought we would lose him, only to have him bounce back.

(Continued)
The best job I have ever had was working with you at the print shop.  You not only taught me how to run the Duplo printer, but also how to break it and subsequently curse it out.  Some of my hardest laughs in my life were when I got to witness you one-on-one with computers.  But I learned so much more by spending time with you.  Watching you interact with customers, manage problems and treat people and your business with the utmost care and concern was inspiring.  Your example of integrity, honesty and hard work, was a solid foundation for me to follow.  

Thank you for your friendship and Love and for showing me what Love was. Watching the way that you respected, loved and cherished my Grandma was something for me to aspire to when I got married.   Your Faith which guided you each day was also a great example to follow.  Thank you for being my Confirmation sponsor and for showing me the importance of the Catholic Faith.  Thank you for giving me your blessed Rosary when I left for college and for reminding me to pray each day.  

I was lucky to be able to introduce you to my little girl recently and although you couldn’t interact with her, the smile on your face and the joy expressed in your eyes reminded me of how you looked at me when I was a young boy.

Thank you, Grandpa, for defining what it means to be the magnificent protector, most important of its kind.  

Love, Andy


Thank You, Grandpa.

There is a lot to live up to in the name Grandpa.  The word Grand means magnificent and imposing, denoting the largest or most important of its kind.  Father is a man who gives care and protection to someone.  Combined, Grandpa is the most magnificent protector.  To me, you were that and so much more.

I was lucky to spend time with you growing up.  Thank you for your protection, wisdom and guidance.  Thank you for your humor and laughter, friendship and Love.  Thank you for providing me with an example to follow and for shaping me into the person I am today.  

When my Dad died, you provided for my Mom, my brothers and me.  To me, you were larger than life, and your presence offered a sense of assurance and protection during a very difficult time.

Your storytelling, smile and steady laugh were constants for me as a young boy.  Looking back, it’s obvious that your heart was full of joy when you got to be Grandpa.  The memories of sleepovers, “It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World” movie nights, Cardinals games, golf outings, “neck adjustments” and working side-by-side with you at the print shop are priceless to me.  You were a great teacher.  Whether it was teaching me how to swing a golf club or play chess, run the shop printer or cash register, you were always full of patience and encouragement.  
(Continued)

I have had very few larger than life type people in my life, Grandpa Murphy was one of them. The type of person that makes you say to yourself, "I hope I live my life as well as him". The type of person were you hang on every word they had to say because you know you didn't want to miss anything. Whether it was regarding baseball or politics, the wisdom was just as profound. To say he'll be missed is an understatement. 

Oh Dad, this website is not big enough for me to say all I want to say. You are a shining example of Faith, Hope and Love. You always had the courage of your own convictions. You didn't sugar coat or tell me what I wanted to hear. You simply told the truth. Your love for our mother is extraordinary.  You are such a team! Through so many tragedies you remained faithful to each other and to God, always hopeful and optimistic.  Always a great sense of humor.        You taught me that there is always Hope as long as I keep my Faith. To never despair, accept God's will and that God works miracles.                                                                                  I especially love watching you with the babies. How your face would light up with delight and you couldn't help but grab them and squeeze them. Oh how you loved to tease them. I loved watching you laugh with them.                                                                                       And your stories! Always a story. Again, your stories about your grandkids were my favorite.  You would tell them as though you were right back in that moment, chuckling all through the story.                                                     You taught by example. Never wavering,  never asking me to do something you would not do yourself. You lived your life as a true soldier of Christ. You are now safe in His arms. You have earned your just reward. You laid the foundation for me and now it is time for me to build on that by following your example.                                                                                I love you with all my heart.  Life is forever changed. We will take good care of Mom until that day when you will be together again. Until then, " may God hold you in the palm of His Hand".                                                             Thank you! All my love, Colleen

OBITUARY

David Joseph Murphy

March 4, 1933 – January 29, 2022

Hoffmeister Colonial Mortuary

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