RALPH GERALD MURPHY

MURPHY, RALPH GERALD Ralph Gerald Murphy, 95, husband of Dorothy (McKeon), passed away peacefully on March 19, 2015 at Charlotte Hungerford Hospital. A resident of Torrington, CT he was born in Bronx, NY on July 24, 1919 to Thomas and Catherine (Quinn) Murphy. Ralph completed his studies at Fordham University in New York and then entered the US Army in the summer of 1941. He served in the East Indies Campaign in the Southwest Pacific during World War II, rising to the rank of Staff Sergeant before his honorable discharge in 1945. He was recently honored by State Senator Kevin Witkos as the October 2014 World War II Veteran of the Month. After the war, Ralph returned to New York to earn his Juris Doctorate from Fordham University School of Law. He was member of the New York and Connecticut bars. Ralph began his legal career at the firm of Menken, Ferguson and Idler in Manhattan, NY and then moved on to serve as a contract administrator at United Aircraft Corporation / Sikorsky Aircraft Division, in Stratford, CT. He came to Northwest Connecticut as a field claims adjuster for Nationwide Insurance Company. After a brief turn as an attorney in private practice in Torrington, he joined the Office of the Attorney General, State of Connecticut, as an Assistant Attorney General and remained in this position for 22 years representing the State in revenue and tax matters including arguments before the United States Supreme Court. After his retirement from the Attorney General’s office in 1986, he continued in public service as a Magistrate, hearing small claims matters across the state for nearly a decade. Outside of his work, Ralph enjoyed reading, traveling, videography, and spending time with his family. Ralph married Dorothy in 1956 and later moved to Torrington, CT. In addition to his wife, he is survived by his children Marianne Sedgwick and her husband Thomas of New Hartford, CT, Susan Murphy of Woodbury, CT, Lillie Murphy of Alexandria, VA, and James Murphy and his wife Johanne of West Suffield, CT. He leaves five grandchildren, Michael and Jonathan Sedgwick, Catherine, Patrick and Kevin Murphy. He was predeceased by his brother, Arthur, of Bethel, Maine. Ralph was a communicant of Saint Francis of Assisi Church, Torrington. He was a Life Member of the BPO Elks and a Fourth Degree member of the Knights of Columbus. The Funeral Services will be held at 9:15 Monday, March 23, 2015, from Phalen Funeral Home, 285 Migeon Avenue, Torrington and proceeding to St. Francis Church, 160 Main Street, Torrington. for a Mass at 10:00 Burial will be in St. Francis Cemetery. Family and friends may call on Sunday between 3 - 5 pm at the funeral home. Online memorials at www.phalenfuneral.com. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked friends to consider memorial contributions in Ralph’s honor to be made to: The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research St. Peter/St. Francis School, 360 Prospect Street, Torrington, CT 06790, or Enfield Montessori School, Capital Campaign, 1370 Enfield Street, Enfield, CT 06082