MURPHY WILLIAM R #1

CW2 William R. Murphy was a potential VHPA member who died after his tour in Vietnam on 08/27/2012 at the age of 72.5 from Heart failure
Denver, CO
Flight Classes 67-21 and 67-19
Date of Birth 03/09/1940
Served in the U.S. Army
This information was provided by Sammie Williams

More detail on this person: William Rees Murphy passed away on August 27, 2012, in Springfield, Missouri, of heart failure following surgery. Bill was born on March 9, 1940, along with his twin sister Mary, in Grand Junction, Colorado. They were adopted by William Edmond Murphy and Mary Thelma Sanderson Murphy.

He attended South High School prior to joining the United States Army, and made the military his career for the next 20 years.

He married Patricia McClendon on May 7, 1960, while based in Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri. Together they had six children.

Bill graduated from flight school training at the University of Southern California. He served three tours of duty in Viet Nam as a helicopter pilot, flying 27 combat missions. Among the medals he received were: three purple hearts, two silver stars, one bronze star, and two distinguished flying crosses. After retiring from the military, he was employed by Exxon Oil in New Jersey as a Safety Engineer. He also lived in Bogota, Columbia for several years while employed with Exxon.

He was preceded in death by his wife Patricia; two infant sons, Michael and Jeffrey Murphy, and his parents. He married Madeline Rogers on May 24, 2011.

He is survived by his wife Madeline, his children: Pamela Claps (Gene); William R. Murphy, Jr. (Julianne); Tamela Frye (Craig); James Murphy (Carisa); his eight grandchildren: Joseph and Christopher Claps; Matthew and Amanda Frye; Chelsey and Cailea Murphy; Hannah and Tessa Murphy, and five great grandchildren. He is also survived by his twin sister Mary Runge (Michael), nephew Jeffery Geurts; niece Elizabeth Atkin (Kenneth).

Services for Bill were held in Mammoth, Missouri, and at sunset on Bull Shoals Lake, in Pontiac, Missouri.

Published in Deseret News from September 5 to September 9, 2012

This information was last updated 05/18/2016

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Date posted on this site: 01/11/2025