RAYMOND LEO HARRINGTON "RAY" MURPHY Jr.

MURPHY, Raymond "Ray" Leo Harrington Jr. Renowned Pulmonary Physician and Researcher, Beloved Husband, Father and Grandfather Raymond "Ray" Leo Harrington Murphy, Jr., of Chestnut Hill and Wareham, MA, passed away on February 26, 2024, at the age of 91, at the Parlin Hospice in Wayland, MA. Ray was born in Flushing, New York, the son of Dr. Raymond and Alice (Clancy) Murphy. He attended Regis High School and matriculated at Holy Cross, where he was captain of the swim team, graduating in 1954. Ray proudly served on the USS Forrestal as part of the commissioning crew responsible for patrolling the Mediterranean Sea. While Ray was on leave, he took the train back to NYC and met Margaret "Peggy" Ann Allen, who had finished her shift as a nurse at Flushing Hospital. They met, fell in love, and were married in 1958. They welcomed son, Ray, III, and twins, Ann & Michael, followed by Maureen. Ray earned his M.D. from New York University, completing his residency at St. Vincent's Hospital. Lifelong New Yorkers, Ray and Peggy decided to move their young family to Boston so that Dr. Ray could pursue a master's degree at the Harvard School of Public Health. Alice and Matthew arrived soon after making it an even six, like Ray's family of origin. As a young doctor with a family of eight, Ray made time for hugs, piggybacks, and help with homework, tucking kids in with his trademark "Daddy loves you." Dr. Ray began his career in Pulmonology, rising to Chief of Pulmonary Medicine at both the Faulkner and Shattuck Hospitals. He also served as Assistant Clinical Professor of Occupational Medicine for the Harvard School of Public Health and Associate Clinical Professor at Tufts University School of Medicine. Dr. Ray's thoughtful, caring nature always shined through with patients and fellow staff. He treated patients with dignity and respect, especially those with lung cancer and tuberculosis nearing the end of life. Recognizing the potential for technology to transform the analysis of lung sounds, Dr. Murphy co-founded the International Lung Sounds Association (ILSA), which brought engineers and medical experts together to accelerate the progress in this field and included conferences in Helsinki, Finland, Haifa, Israel, Sydney, Australia, Tokyo, Japan, and Boston, to name just a few. Dr. Ray's dissertation at Harvard School of Public Health on Asbestosis resulted in a change to the national standard for the use of Asbestos in products so the incidence of disease could be reduced. In 2006, due to his work advancing research of Occupational Lung Disease, he won the ILSA Award and, in 2009 the Chadwick Medal from the MA Thoracic Society (President 1978-80) for his many accomplishments in his career as a pulmonologist, including many publications in medical journals. In addition, Dr. Ray invented a stethoscope that captured and analyzed lung sounds electronically to help limit the invasive nature of some hospital monitoring systems and avoid unnecessary surgeries to improve outcomes. An avid runner, Ray completed the Boston Marathon many times. He was a member of the Greater Framingham Track Club, hosting breakfast runs, competing, and writing articles for the newsletter. He authored "If You Felt Like I Did, You'd Start Running," a book which included practical advice and short stories about running. He then returned to swimming and competed in the Senior Olympics, medaling in many events. Ray was genuinely interested in the community, as evidenced by his big smile and twinkling eyes upon meeting people. He loved to play the piano at the annual St Patrick's Day parties hosted in Wellesley, inviting the whole neighborhood, and always ending up with a sing-along with everyone gathered around the piano in the living room. He also took up painting, taking lessons, and making portraits of all thirteen of the grandkids. Ray was at his happiest sitting on the porch at Saltmarsh Lane and painting, while watching kids and grandkids play stickball, swim, sail, and kayak. He led lots of dinnertime discussions that always included a life lesson. Most notable was Ray's positive spirit which will live on in the Murphy family. He will be remembered as a thoughtful, gracious, and loving man whose mantra was "Positive thoughts only!" His enthusiasm, humor, and quick wit will be greatly missed. Ray leaves behind his loving wife, Margaret Allen Murphy of Chestnut Hill & Wareham, MA; son Raymond Murphy of Falmouth, MA, his wife Janet, and grandchildren, Meghan, Erin, and Caitlyn Murphy; daughter Ann Postell of Roseville, CA and grandchildren, Ken, Erica & Matthew Postell; son Michael Murphy of New York City; daughter Maureen Olsen of Medfield, MA, her husband Doug, and grandchildren, Maggie Olsen, Anya Olsen-Brunot & her husband Michael; daughter Alice Murphy of Wellesley, MA & Warren, VT, her husband Phil Stathos, and grandchildren, Nicholas, Cameron & Alexander Stathos; son Matthew Murphy of Hingham & Mattapoisett, MA, his wife Jennifer, and grandchildren, Christopher & Catherine Murphy; and his brother T. Jefferson Murphy, JD and his wife Brenda of Kalamazoo, MI. He was predeceased by his sisters, Alice Murphy and Kathleen Mortlock; and brothers, James Harrington Murphy, and Donal Murphy. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Shattuckpartners.org Visitation will be Thursday, March 7, from 4-6 PM at the Henry J. Burke & Sons Funeral Home, 56 Washington St., WELLESLEY HILLS, MA. A Mass will be held on Friday, March 8, at 10 AM at St. John the Evangelist Church, 9 Glen Rd., Wellesley Hills, MA.

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