Daniel Gerard "Boo, Danny, Dan or Murph" Murphy

Daniel Gerard Murphy, 62, born on June 23, 1962, in Melrose Park, IL, was sent to his eternal home on May 16, 2025, in Oak Brook, Illinois, after a nine-year battle with colo-rectal cancer. He was the beloved husband of Dr. Paul Jones for 21 years.

Boo, Danny, Dan or Murph, as he was affectionately known, had an immediately recognizable and infectious laugh, constant smile and positive outlook. His playful, and often self-deprecating wit, was what endeared him to so many.

Dan grew up in Westchester where he began collecting life-long friends. He attended Divine Infant Parish School and was the organist for services there until the "Smoke on the Water" incident. High school found him working part-time at Westchester Flower Shoppe where he showed an aptitude for the floral industry. After graduating from Northern Illinois University, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Interior Design, one of his first jobs was creating vignettes for the (Hugh) Plunkett Furniture Showroom. As a fashion model, his athletic image in tennis whites graced the Morrie Mages Sports Store at Ontario and LaSalle. Next, he opened Bloomers of River Forest, which included a chic retail space on Lake Street. The window displays he innovated are still being talked about. The imaginative floral designs that came out of his workroom were seen weekly in the stores on Michigan Avenue and Oak Street, including Marshall Field's, Barneys of New York, Bergdorf-Goodman and Elizabeth Arden Salon. In 1998, he received first prize in the House Beautiful, Celebrations at Home, Furniture des Fleurs Competition among all the showrooms at the Merchandise Mart. The jaw-dropping Wizard of Oz inspired design he created for Melvin Wolf, bested every other entrant in the Merchandise Mart. Countless brides have carried his hand-wired bouquets on their special day, while their guests sat at tables adorned with one of his trend-setting creations. He merged his floral and interior design businesses into Pastis Design Services of Oak Park, which he headed until 2020. In that role, he and his collaborator, Mary Ann (Mimi) Naso, transformed commercial and residential spaces in Michigan, Florida, California, West Virginia, Chicago and the suburbs, winning multiple awards for historic and innovative design elements. They were chosen to participate in the Oak Park ASID Showcase House in 2005.

Splitting his time between Chicago and San Diego, Dan collected a cadre of west coast friends, too. He exercised daily and was always happy when he was at the gym. Acquaintences quickly became friends while there because his upbeat positivity, work ethic and results stood out. Always approachable and friendly, he felt everyone should look out for each other while there. On any given day he would pause his own workout to gently guide new gym users on proper technique and etiquette, while jovially calling out seasoned users for their lapses.

Once his illness prevented him from working and working out, he continued to challenge himself by learning watercolor, oil and air brush painting. In the weeks just before his death, he even started crocheting. He continued his skilled passions of cooking, gardening and jigsaw puzzles. But, his true joy was keeping connected to his family, extended family, in-laws and friends, speaking with many of them daily. In 2016 he became an Imerman Angel mentor, providing his positivity through one-on-one cancer support to 16 similarly diagnosed individuals.

There was more joy, happiness and laughter in the world, and it was a better place, because of Dan Murphy. He will be terribly missed by all who knew him.

Dan was preceded in death by his parents, James (Buck) and Jeanne Harrast Murphy, brother James Murphy, and four-legged children Sparkey and Dexter. He is survived by his siblings Maureen (Kenneth) Gorman, Terrence (MaryAnn) Murphy and Jeanne (James) Busse, many nieces, nephews, cousins and god-children, and his canine chemo buddy Astro.

Donations can be made to Imerman Angels www.imermanangels.com

A Celebration of Life will be held at 5pm on Sunday, June 22, 2025 at The Drake – 2301 York Road, Oak Brook, IL 60523.