PAUL MURPHY

It is with the utmost sadness that the family of Paul Murphy announces his passing on December 13, 2024, at the age of 74. Paul was completely and utterly devoted to his family, and revelled in his role of husband, father and grandfather. He is survived by his adoring wife, four amazing children and their spouses, and five grandchildren, all of whom live within a short drive from each other in Toronto. Paul's early years were very humble. He was raised by loving parents on a working farm west of Kingston, absent of electricity and plumbing for his first ten years. Paul was the eldest child, the big brother, with two younger sisters. When not attending school at the one-room schoolhouse, Paul worked alongside his father and grandfather, both of whom he idolized, to complete the daily farm chores. Nothing was better than a rainy day off. Education was a key driver for Paul, and he took on tough jobs in construction and trucking to make university financially possible. A strong student, after his first two years of partying, Paul received his Bachelor of Commerce degree from Queen's University. An FCPA, Paul flew through the ranks at PwC, making Partner at age 29 and serving as the firm's National Mining Leader from 2004 to 2010. Most recently, Paul served as the Chair of Alamos Gold Inc., and the Audit Chair of Generation Mining Limited and Collective Mining Ltd. Paul was a leader in the mining industry, travelling the globe with boots on the ground in a career in which he thrived. Paul loved working, and he loved his work. For all of his time at PwC, 37 years, he never took a sick day. The mining world perfectly suited Paul, who was always a bit of a gambler. Poker nights with his colleagues and buddies were often lucrative, and often not. Paul was also a keen euchre player, harking back to his formative years in the country. He was highly coveted as a playing partner, often successfully "going alone" to clinch the game. Paul was known to his family and friends, and across his professional world, to be a complete gentleman, always true to his word, exuding confidence, humour and a complete grasp of the issues at hand. Paul lifted people up. He was an amazing mentor and coach, an inspiration to so many. He opened doors and created opportunities for others every step of the way. He believed in people, often before they believed in themselves. And that belief, treasured by all who knew him, extended far beyond his professional world and lifted up his full circle of family and friends. An amazing chef, Paul had the ability to whip up food for all, making it seem effortless. And when he wasn't cooking, Paul and his wife were regulars at their favourite spots, where everyone knew their names, and always inviting anyone and everyone to join them. Bringing people together, even successfully match-making, was who Paul was. Kind, gentle, supportive and extremely thoughtful. Paul was efficient, practical, able to get anything done, and very, very strong. He was our rock. Paul fought his health battles fiercely and privately, sharing only with his family, and extremely appreciative of the outstanding healthcare he was provided. He was adamant that he didn't want to be defined or limited by any illness. Paul and his wife held weddings, welcomed grandchildren, hosted family and friends up North, and took endless trips with all of the family, precious time together creating lasting memories across the generations. Paul was an amazing grandfather, or Poppy as he was called. He had a huge soft spot for babies and was incredibly adept at soothing them to sleep. As his grandchildren became a bit older, Poppy was often seen crawling all over the floor, reading books, or creating a teaching moment about math or history. Paul was an avid reader and a raconteur, with endless entertaining stories and amazing detail. He loved music, and had a great ear for it, notwithstanding that he really couldn't sing. His taste for the classics, such as Bob Seger, CCR, and Warren Zevon, provided the formative music for the family, who all have wonderful memories of Twisting the Night Away. He was true to the Blue Jays, having been the auditor of the franchise during the World Series in 1992 and 1993. He wore his World Series watches with pride. Paul himself was a formidable baseball player, manning first base, and a power threat at the plate. Paul was also a huge fan of the Chicago Blackhawks, and the LA Dodgers and Rams. Somehow, he never warmed up to the Leafs. Paul was fiercely loyal and endlessly trustworthy. He enjoyed the simple pleasures in life such as road trips and sunsets. Nothing better than seeing the green flash. Paul was our source of strength, wisdom and happiness. He was always by our side. Paul loved life completely and lived it fully. He had no regrets, other than not enough time. We all miss him deeply.