In Memory of

William

F.

"Bill"

Murphy

Obituary for William F. "Bill" Murphy

William F. Murphy Jr. born April 17, 1935 to William F. Murphy Sr. and Mary Dursa Murphy Ridel in Hartford, peacefully passed away Sunday, May 14, 2017 at St. Francis Hospital. The oldest of six children he enjoyed and often recalled the advantages of being brought up on Bedford Street’s dead end neighborhood. A graduate of HPHS class of 1953 he served in the U.S. Army in Korea before attending and graduating from the University of Connecticut 1960. One of the greatest highlights of his life was his marriage to his only true love and best friend, Mary K. Guinan, in April 1964 and another was the blessing they received with four loving and devoted daughters, Maura, Kelly, Kate and Erin. In 1962 he was employed by the Wethersfield School Department as a teacher of sixth grade. In 1970 he was appointed principal of Greenfield School in Wethersfield and continued to serve as principal at the Emerson-Williams, Highcrest and Charles Wright Schools until his retirement in 1998. In 2000 he joined the staff of Wethersfield High School as Career Coordinator until his second retirement in 2008. He was an educator who was very proud of the Wethersfield schools and community he had the privilege of serving. As a resident of Wethersfield since 1965 he embraced the people and community while continuing to pride himself as a native supporter of the City of Hartford. Bill was an active parishioner of the Church of the Incarnation in Wethersfield. He taught CCD, was President of the Church Council and served as a Minister of the Eucharist. He was actively involved in the Corpus Christi and South Catholic High School – Parent organizations and was a long time member of the Knights of Columbus and the Irish American Home. The joys of being an American and being able to share them with his wife, daughters, sons-in-law, siblings, grandchildren and friends brought many happy and memorable memories: Christmas, Thanksgiving, St. Patrick’s Day, the Fourth of July, baptisms, birthdays, graduations. His Polish and Irish ancestry was a great source of pride as evidenced by the joys of ethnic celebrations and appetite for Polish cuisine. When his last breath is taken he knows and deeply believes that he will be in the presence of God and that the many questions and mysteries of faith will be made known to him. He leaves this life with the hope that his beloved family and friends will prepare for the big reunion to be held with God Almighty in eternity.
Bill leaves his beloved true love, Mary G. Murphy, his daughters and their husbands, Maura & Jim Buyak, children Emily, Julia and Alex. Kate & Javier Bello and their children, Javier William, Maggie, Luke, and MaryClare, Erin & Anthony Gallucci and son Nicholas all of Wethersfield. Kelly and Gregory Thompson and children Olivia and Finnegan of Branford. He also leaves sisters Betsy Fox, East Hartford, Barbara and John Marino, Wethersfield, George and Kathleen Murphy, Ocala, Florida, his sisters-in-law, Joan (David) Wright, of Winter Park, FL, Gertrude (Nelson) Banks of Hartford, Beverly Murphy of Wethersfield and Virginia Murphy of Enfield; his lifetime friends and family, Richard and Joan Hatch of East Hartford; as well as many loving nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents William and Mary Murphy Ridel and brothers, James and Thomas Murphy and brother-in-law Jim Fox.
Friends and relatives may call on the family Wednesday, May 17, 2017 from 4-7pm at the Farley-Sullivan Funeral Home, 34 Beaver Road, Wethersfield. Funeral procession from Farley-Sullivan Funeral Home will be Thursday, May 18th at 9am with a Mass of Christian Burial celebrating Bill’s life at 10am in Church of the Incarnation, 544 Prospect St., Wethersfield. Interment will follow the Mass in Cedar Hill Cemetery (Section 12), 453 Fairfield Ave., Hartford. Memorial donations may be made to the Church of the Incarnation, 544 Prospect St. Wethersfield, CT 06109. To extend online condolences and/or share a memory, please visit farleysullivan.com.