Obituary of Maurice Patrick Murphy

The amazing Life Legacy and Heritage of Murf, Sr

 

For those who knew and loved Maurice “Moe” Murphy, there will never be another person quite like him. Modest, proud of his family, and filled with a wonderful sense of humor, Moe brightened the lives of all he met and connected with them at their level. He was an expert at weaving wisdom and humor throughout his conversations and advice to others. He was admired for his work ethic, strong moral compass, and integrity above all in his daily walk. He was the rock of our family. In his family he found his greatest reward, and for these things and so much more, he will be dearly missed.

 

The 1930’s was one of the harshest decades that America has ever experienced.  The nation was impacted by financial devastation, numerous bank closures, jobs were scarce, and unemployment rates were bleak. The Dust Bowl Drought impacted 23 states from the Mississippi River to the mid-Atlantic region as crops failed as estimates note it was the worst drought to hit the United States in 300 years. 1930 was also the year when President Herbert Hoover created the Department of Veterans Affairs.

 

Despite the trials facing them, Thomas and Jane Murphy celebrated the birth of their baby boy who they named Maurice on December 20, 1930. Born on a frigid Minneapolis winter day with a recorded temperature of 16 degrees Fahrenheit, he joined his family at their residence at 1421 North 5^th Street. He joined his siblings who would include Tom, Pat, Jane, Margaret, Mike, Daniel and Katherine. The Murphy children each attended Ascension Grace Catholic School where they were known by their IQ measurements and not their academic grades. Born to a hard working Irish immigrant who became a WWI veteran and a mother who was the homemaker faced with the challenges of raising a large family, Moe was taught from an early age the importance of a strong work ethic and to appreciate the little things in life.

 

He stored countless memories from his childhood and was generous in what he shared with others. One such poignant story was that as a young boy, he and his brothers were tasked to going to a local store in their neighborhood, pulling a wagon just big enough to haul as much coal that they could purchase for the five cents they were given by their parents. This coal would heat the household as warm as possible on bitterly cold Minnesota days. Being born in such a large Irish family did not yield to extra resources. As a young child, Moe slept on a wooden door at night that was perched between the seats of two of the dining room chairs. Playing with his siblings in junkyards and skinny dipping in the Mississippi River helped forge lifelong memories that amused his family to this day. What a testament to the strength he grew to develop!

 

Like many young men during times of military conflict, Moe enlisted in the United States Marine Corps on June 14, 1949. After his boot camp training with the Marine Barracks, Great Lakes, Illinois, receiving an “allowance of $18.85 at the rate of five cents per mile” for his drive from Minneapolis to Great Lakes, Illinois. His designated Marine’s military occupational specialty was that of an Infantryman Private First Class.

 

In October of 1950, Five Star General Douglas MacArthur along with Major General Oliver P. Smith, the commander of the 1^st Marine Division, led the United Nations in one of the most infamous and deadly campaigns of the Korean War, known as the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir. Moe survived this campaign that raged from November 26  to December 11, 1950. Fought in bitterly cold elements, the US Marines with support from the US Army 7^th Infantry Division, succeeded in pushing back the tens of thousands Chinese soldiers in Northeastern Korea’s Yudam-ni and Harau-ri regions. Despite overwhelming odds, the tenacity of the US Marines & US Army soldiers, the “Frozen Chosin” as they were come to be known, cut through enemy lines and successfully reached their destination of Hungnam on December 11, 1950. The evacuation of these veterans are recorded along with the large amphibious evacuation rescue of United Nation troops from northeastern Korea.

 

Moe rarely talked about his military experiences from his time served during the Korean War. Fellow Marine veteran, Warren Weidhahn, now 92 yrs of age, reflected the conditions in which he and Moe both fought. In the book written by Hampton Sides, “People cannot imagine 40, 50 below zero. Everything froze. Vehicles froze, rifles froze, people froze. If you got wounded, you couldn’t walk, you froze to death. “The Marines suffered 1,000 dead and wounded in the Battle of Chosin Reservoir, viewed today as the greatest battle in Marine Corps history. Almost all suffered wounds, if not by battle then by frostbite. The motto of this campaign was “die in place” if overrun by the enemy. Moe was awarded the Purple Heart w/Gold Star, the Korean Ribbon w/1 star, and the United Nations Ribbon for his bravery and years of service. For the rest of his life, he carried shrapnel in both his right thigh and back from injuries sustained in the Korean War. Shrapnel that military surgeons were unable to remove. Knowing this, how can one not be in amazement at his quiet bravery and unmeasurable will to survive his experiences during the Korean War? He was changed forever by the unimaginable horrors that he and his fellow Marines witnessed and managed to survive.

 

Upon his honorable discharge from the US Marine Corps, Moe returned to Minneapolis and resumed his life as a young man. 1955 saw the beginning of the next chapter of his life. It was when he met a tall blonde beauty by the name of Dorene Wanda Spielman. She had recently moved from Eau Claire to Minneapolis to pursue a secretarial job and one day answered a knock on her apartment door. There stood a tall, handsome, black-haired young man with a winning smile who was selling typewriters door-to-door. After a whirlwind courtship, he married the love of his life in an intimate ceremony on December 25, 1955 in Minneapolis. Their family was eventually made complete by the births of their children, Murf, Jr, Susan and Cynthia. Becoming a father added such joy to his life. By way of example, Murf loved and taught his children well.

 

Murf and Dorene raised their family while living in North Minneapolis, Golden Valley, and finally in Brooklyn Park where they built the house of their dreams. Dorene worked for Prudential Insurance while Moe worked in the Ceramics Division of Honeywell until his retirement. He attended college in the evenings at the University of Minnesota while working full-time at Honeywell, completing his Bachelor of Business Administration. Family times were precious for Murf and Dorene. They spent summers at a summer cottage at Big Island along with other friends, teaching their children how to sail and swim. Friday evenings were some of their favorite times after their children were grown when they would have them over to their house for cookouts of grilled steak and Dorene’s infamous German potato salad.

 

Moe was never one to remain idle for long while at home. Working on his Murphy family history and that of the Geldert family that Dorene descended from kept him busy for several years. He took great satisfaction in his discoveries, spending countless hours on end at the Hennepin County Court House and Minneapolis Public Library, conducted faithfully for years before the internet and indexed sources made research quicker! One incredible family history trip saw Moe and his youngest brother, Dan as they traveled to Ireland to seek more family history. Oh, to have been the videographer along their travels as the Murphy brothers  visited Irish pubs, met total strangers and befriended so many during their time there!

 

Moe stayed busy both physically and with his grandchildren after retiring from Honeywell. He enjoyed being a referee for those on Volleyball teams with Minneapolis Parks and Rec., obtained his Real Estate license and his company called Murphy’s Real Estate, kept the yard at their house in pristine perfect condition, and enjoyed a part-time job delivering tools for Red Rooster Auto Stores. He especially enjoyed taking his grandchildren and great nieces & nephews to play in a nearby park affectionately known as “Moe Park”.

 

With his passion for life and unquestionable love for his family, Moe experienced life to it’s fullest.  His family provided his greatest joys in life. He will be remembered for his sense of humor, his quiet, unwavering pride as a Marine, and for always facing hardships with grace and humor. A wonderful husband and dedicated father and grandfather, the memories he has left behind remain his legacy.

 

“When we lose someone we love it seems that time stands still.

What moves through us is a silence…a quiet sadness.

A longing for one more day…one more word…one more touch.

We may not understand why you left this earth so soon, or why

you left before we were ready to say good-bye, but little by little,

we begin to remember not just that you died, but that you lived.

And that your life gave us memories too beautiful to forget.

We will see you again some day, in a heavenly place where there is no parting.

A place where there are no words that mean goodbye. “

                    

~An Irish funeral prayer

 

Mr. Maurice Patrick “Moe” Murphy, Sr, age 88, of Anoka, formerly of Brooklyn Park completed his earthly journey on August 4, 2019 surrounded by his loving family. He leaves behind his beloved wife Dorene of 63 years, son Maurice “Murf, Jr” (Helen), daughter Susan (Mike) Diepholz, and daughter Cynthia (Mike) Frisco; seven grandchildren: Stephanie Madson, Kevin Diepholz, David (Elizabeth) Frisco, Collin (Sara) Frisco, Abigail Murphy, Matthew (Sara) Murphy, and Elizabeth (Dorian) Murphy. His great-grandchildren who he adored so very much are Jace Diepholz, Autumn Madson, and Connor Madson.

 

He leaves to treasure his memory a brother, Daniel Murphy; sister, Kathleen “Kitty” Peterson of Tempe, AZ, and a host of loving nieces and nephews and countless friends.

 

Along with his parents, he was predeceased by his siblings Thomas, Patrick, Michael, James (died as an infant), Jane, Margaret, and the family poodle, Daisy.

 

The service to remember and celebrate his life will be held September 7^th at The Crossing, 6201 North Lilac Drive, Brooklyn Center MN in the Community Room. His remains are being entrusted to the care of the staff at  Cremation Society of MN.  Interment will be in Fort Snelling National Cemetery with full military honors.

 

For those who wish, memorial contributions may be made to Wounded Warrior Project of MN.

 

May we each be blessed to have stood on the shoulders of such giants as Moe during our lives.