October 9th, 1926 – January 9th, 2022
Orville T. Murphy was born in Crestwood, Kentucky on October 9th, 1926 to Bernice (née Boutcher) and Orville T. Murphy Sr. He was stationed on a submarine during WW II, and after the war he married Martha Carolyn Nichols from Fairhope, Ala. He was a Historian at SUNY Buffalo where he won awards for his books and teaching. He retired to Kirkland, Washington and for 26 years he played Old Time harmonica at festivals around the Northwest. His beloved wife of 62 years died in 2012. Murph died of Alzheimer’s on January 9th, 2022. He is survived by a son and daughter, 3 grandchildren, and one great-granddaughter. Murph was generous, wise, and full of mischief to the very end.
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