Dr. Daniel S. Murphy

Dr. Daniel S. Murphy

Feb. 28, 1957 - May 17, 2022

Dr. Daniel S. Murphy, Ph. D, ended his earthly adventure on May 17, 2022, at the age of 65.

Dr. Dan, as he preferred to be called, was a professor emeritus in the Department of Arts and Sciences/Sociology at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC. He earned his Ph.D. at Iowa State University, after obtaining his master's degree at UW Milwaukee, and his undergraduate degree at UW Madison.

For his entire life, Dr. Dan was a character, a lover of life and adventure and occasionally a mischievous trouble-maker. He was an avid hunter and successful fisherman and loved the outdoors, both in Wisconsin and North Carolina. He has a bay named after him in St. Germain, WI. Prior to his career in academia, Dan pursued a variety of occupations, including working as a beer distributor with Murphy Distributing, as a National Park Ranger at the Valley of Fire in Nevada, and as a private investigator with Murphy & Murphy Investigations in Madison, WI. He was a person you could count on and he knew how to have a good time.

As a professor Dan received several honors and recognitions including numerous Outstanding Teaching Awards. He was very popular with his students. He was a participating author of 16 peer reviewed publications, published three books of his own, and provided chapters to be included in 11 textbooks on sociology and criminology. To say that Dan was passionate about his work would be an understatement. He presented papers at conferences throughout the United States and internationally. He was interviewed by the media on many occasions, due to his expansive knowledge, his ability to explain complicated concepts in simple terms and his willingness to take on controversial issues and buck the system.

Dr. Dan was preceded in death by his parents, Janet ("Saint Janet") and Richard J. ("Dick the Fighter") Murphy; as well has his sister, Jane (Ken) Sadowski and his beloved dog, Ty.

He is survived by his sisters: Kathy (Glenn) Pentler, Erin (Greg) Marks and Colleen (David) Penwell; his brother, Pat (Gerry) Murphy; and 15 nephews and nieces that he cared about deeply.

Dr. Dan persevered through a variety of health challenges and illnesses during his life and finally succumbed to his "melody of maladies" as he called them. His physical suffering is at an end. He has passed on to the next great adventure and is probably causing a stir along the way. That is just his nature. His final advice to all of us - "REMEMBER/LIVE THE FUN FACTOR." He will be missed!