Wallace Murphy

Wallace Dale Murphy, 94, passed away at his home while preparing for Thanksgiving lunch on November 27, 2025. He was born December 11, 1930, to Dallas and Rosaline (Panzer) Murphy at the family home in rural Lincoln County, Kansas.
Wallace was baptized and later confirmed at St. John's Lutheran Church in Lincoln, Kansas. He was raised on the farm of his grandparents, Karl "Charlie" and Caroline "Mary" Panzer, by his mother; grandparents; uncle George and aunt Ruth Panzer; and aunt Louise and uncle George "Billy" Bettenbrock. His childhood on the farm shaped the man he became-he learned early to ride horses, raise cattle, farm, and enjoy the outdoors through hunting and fishing with his uncles and cousins.
He attended grade school at St. John's Lutheran School and graduated from Ellsworth High School in May 1948. After high school, he began farming. On July 23, 1950, he married Melba Donley at the St. John's parsonage, beginning a devoted partnership that lasted until Melba's passing in 2013. Their first home was the "house behind the hill," at the Panzer farm, a very primitive old house, before moving to Sylvan Grove. Ultimately the young family moved to Alton, Kansas, in 1956 when Wallace became manager of Shields Ranch. He later leased the ranch and operated it as Murphy Ranch. Through all these years, Wallace and Melba raised four sons-Terry, Daniel, Carlin, and Richard.
Ranching was more than a livelihood for Wallace-it was a calling. He raised cattle and farmed throughout his life, with a particular passion for building a quality Hereford cow herd that eventually reached 400 head. He was known for his skill working cattle on horseback and always kept a good cow horse. He remained in the cattle business until 2014 when the ranch was sold, and he continued living there until this past winter, checking water tanks and rounding up any cows that managed to slip out of their pasture.
After he was no longer actively ranching, Wallace challenged himself to have a roast beef or roast chicken dinner-with dessert-ready for anyone who let him know they were stopping by. No one ever left his table hungry. He loved visiting with friends and family, though he preferred small groups over large crowds.
Wallace believed deeply in community involvement and service. He served in the Army Reserve and Kansas National Guard (E5) until moving to Alton. He provided leadership to numerous boards and organizations, including Farm Bureau, the Alton School Board, his church, the Fair Board, the Soil Conservation District, County Extension, Cattlemen's Associations, the Alton Rural Fire Department, and Sumner 4-H. He was also a long-time member of Peace Lutheran Church in Natoma, Kansas. His commitment to these organizations reflected his dedication to rural life and the people who shared it with him.
In his later years, Wallace continued to enjoy the outdoors, hunting, and fishing. Deer hunting always held a special place for him, with fishing becoming a favorite when hunting was no longer possible. He also developed a deep passion for sharing God's love with those who helped him with projects or accompanied him on longer drives to appointments in Hays or Salina. When he could no longer drive to Natoma as often for church services, he looked forward to pastoral visits from Pastor Schmidt-usually accompanied by lunch. He was a lifelong listener of The Lutheran Hour on the radio, a Sunday tradition begun in his grandparents' home.
Wallace will be deeply missed. Survivors include:
Terry Murphy and family-Ricky & Stacey Rankin and family, Erick & Julie Rankin and family, and Rylee & Alex Christensen and family;
Daniel & Linda Murphy and family-Danielle & Toby Brown and family, Braeden & Melissa Murphy and family, Brady Wilson, and Jessica & Carlos Labrador and family;
Carlin & Stephanie Murphy;
Richard & Gene Murphy;
sister Jesse Kralik;
brother Robert Peterman;
cousins who were like sisters, Anna Marie Wolting and Georgia Prochaska;
and many other relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Melba; mother, Rosaline Peterman; sister, Mary Lou Pflughoeft; brother, Gene Peterman; daughter-in-law, Karen Murphy; and granddaughter, Rachael Wilson.