JOSEPH LEONARD MURPHY

MURPHY,

JOSEPH LEONARD

August 21, 1945 -

May 6, 2013

Gainesville - Joseph Leonard Murphy, age 67, went home to be with Lord on Monday morning, at 2 a.m. He was surrounded by loving family, and friends. Joseph was born in Lake City on August 21, 1945, to Clyde Edwin Murphy and Mae Johnson Murphy Baumgartner. He resided in Lake Butler until the age of 15, relocating to Gainesville, where he attended Gainesville High School, then Santa Fe Community College. Joseph enlisted in the United States Marine Corps at age 22. He served as a machine gunner during the Vietnam War, receiving the Purple Heart Medal, the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry, and Navy Achievement Medal with combat "V", among many other individual and group awards. While on active duty Joseph attended Central Texas Community College, and the University of Texas at Austin. He left active duty after twelve years of service, but continued to serve his country through the Marine Corps Reserve. His last active duty assignment was Operation Desert Storm, before retiring from military service in 1995, at the rank of First Sergeant (E-8). Joseph worked with the University of Florida as a Purchasing Agent from 1980 to 1990. He transferred to the Department of Corrections in 1991, where he served as Regional Purchasing Director, General Services Manager, and as a Regional Training Officer, prior to retiring from State Government in year 2000. Following his retirement from State Government Joseph completed a seminary degree in education and was instrumental in establishing Hope Christian Academy in Theresa, where he served as Head Master for four years. In 1997 Joseph was called into full time ministry and accepted his most recent position as Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church of Raiford.

Joseph was preceded in death by his father, Clyde Edwin Murphy; his mother, Mae Johnson Murphy Baumgartner; two brothers: Thomas Philip Murphy and Huey Allen Murphy; and his first wife Linda Kaye Mott Murphy. He is survived by his loving wife Lucinda, of Melrose; one brother, Kenneth Howard Murphy, and wife Barbara of Alachua; two sisters, Jeannette Brown, and Imogene Beard and husband Charles, all of Jacksonville; one daughter, Donna Lynn Murphy Crews and husband Joshua, of Keystone Heights; one son, Christopher Allen Murphy and wife Betsey, of Melrose; one step-son Justin Simon, of Wauchula; five grandchildren, Lindsey, Lane, Layton, Kaelyn and Ashlyn, plus a "quiver full" of nephews, nieces, cousins and friends.

The family will receive friends at Hope Baptist Church, Theresa, on Tuesday evening at 7 p.m. for visitation. Services will be held at Hope Baptist Church Wednesday morning at 11 a.m. Dr. E.V. Coons will officiate. Interment will follow at Hope Baptist Church cemetery. In lieu of flowers the family requests your contribution to the "Hope For Tomorrow" Christian College Resource Center, a program for putting Christian leaders in the work place. Through your generous donation you too can become a part of some deserving child, pastor, doctor, nurse's Christian education; an opportunity they may not otherwise ever get.

Arrangements are under the care of JONES-GALLAGHER FUNERAL HOME, 340 E. WALKER DR. KEYSTONE HEIGHTS, FL 32656. 352-473-3176.www.jonesgallagherfh.com