MILLINOCKET – John T. Murphy, 90, died Tuesday, July 7, 2009, at a Millinocket health care facility. He was born Nov. 10, 1918, on Prince Edward Island, but lived the rest of his life in Millinocket. He worked at the Great Northern Paper Co., for 37 years and was financial secretary of his union for several years. He was a communicant of St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church, Millinocket, and was a life member of St. Martin of Tour’s Council No. 680, Knights of Columbus. John was a World War II veteran, serving the Army in Africa and Italy with the 894th Tank Destroyer Batallion. He married his sweetheart, Thais Willette, and cherished her for 42 years. They had two children, David and Sheila. John and Thais had many good times in Clearwater, Fla., during the winters, always returning to their camp on Ambejejus Lake. After Thais died, John finally returned to Clearwater, Fla., where he eventually married Mary R. Donohue, who loved and cared for him for more than 25 years. John loved to play cards, especially pinochle, cribbage and pitch tournaments at the Knights. His even greater passion was fishing at Sowdahunk Lake. He is survived by Sheila Rush and her husband, Jim; grandchildren, Shaun, Darren, Brent and Julie; his wife, Mary Murphy and her children, Bobby Donohue and his wife, Sue, Cindy Donohue and Pat Donohue and his wife, Debra; he will be extremely missed by Mary’s four grandchildren in Tennessee, Christine, Heather, Sean and Kelly Ann, who loved their “Papa” very much. He is also survived by brothers, Charles Murphy and his wife, Gloria, William Murphy and Ernest Murphy and his wife, Rhonda; sisters, Catherine Wright, Virginial Ricci and her husband, Peter, Theresa Crosby and her husband, Sheldon, and June Martin; many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents, John and Mary (Miller) Murphy; a son, David Murphy; and siblings, Lewis and Robert Murphy, Ella Rollins, Rose Burleigh and Florence Gonya. Friends are invited to visit with the family 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. Thursday at Lamson Funeral Home, 11 Tamarack St., Millinocket. Graveside services with military honors will be held 2 p.m. Friday, July 10, at Millinocket Cemetery. Gifts in memory of John may be sent to Katahdin Area Support Group, 10 Field St., Millinocket, ME 04462 or the Alzheimer’s Foundation, 170 Route 1, Suite 250, Falmouth, ME 04105. Messages of condolence may be expressed at www.lamsonfh.com.
JOHN THOMAS MURPHY
