THOMAS MURPHY Jr.

1948 - 2020

Reverend Thomas Christopher Murphy, Jr.  
The Reverend Thomas Christopher Murphy, Jr. passed away on May 9, 2020 at the age of 71 from complications of Parkinson's Disease. Born in Stamford, CT in 1948, he is the eldest son of Patricia (Link) Murphy and Thomas C. Murphy. Rev. Murphy is a 1972 graduate of Sacred Heart University and a 2007 graduate of Virginia Theological Seminary. He was ordained an Episcopal priest on January 19, 2008. As an Episcopal priest, Rev. Murphy served as Assistant to the Rector at Christ Church Georgetown from 2007 to 2014, with special responsibilities for mission and outreach. He also volunteered as priest chaplain at the Washington National Cathedral from 2015 to 2020 and chaplain at Medstar Washington Hospital Center. Rev. Murphy dedicated his life to serving the poor and marginalized. Throughout his life, he was involved in the pursuit of social justice. Rev. Murphy served as the Director of Church Relations at Bread for the World, as a program officer for the Campaign for Human Development, and as an organizer with the Industrial Areas Foundation in New York and Tennessee. He co-founded Corpus Christi House, an intentional community, in the 1980s to provide hospitality and assistance to refugees from El Salvador. Rev. Murphy is survived by his wife, Mary Rieser; daughter Elizabeth Rieser-Murphy; stepdaughters Lisa Rhodes, Kimberly Clarke (Kevin), and Laura Bedell (Pete); two grandchildren and six siblings: Brian, Sally Miller (Robert), Teter, Barbara, Joseph (Christine), and Christopher and many nieces and nephews. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, services will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: Bishop Walker School for Boys: https://www.bishopwalkerschool.org/giving/make_a_gift; Cristosal: https://www.cristosal.org/get-involved#give; Bread for the World: https://www.bread.org/make-donation; Michael J. Fox Foundation: https://www.michaeljfox.org/donate