Patrick William Murphy

1947 - 2019

Ledyard - Patrick William Murphy of Ledyard, passed away April 8, 2019, at the age of 71 of heart failure.

Patrick was born Oct. 3, 1947, in Frankfurt Germany. His parents, Christine Anna Odernheimer and William Joseph Murphy met when William was a solder in the U.S. Army, post-World War II. Following permission from the High Commissioner for Germany, Christine and William were married Sept. 6, 1950, in Amtagericht Frankfurt-Main Germany. Their marriage was delayed due to non-fraternization policies in place at that time. The parents immediately applied for recognition of American citizenship for Patrick, his sister Christine, and brother Michael, which was awarded Sept. 11, 1950, by the German Standesamt (civil office which recorded marriages, births, and other records).

In 1955, when Patrick was seven, his family made its first move to the United States, settling initially in New London, William's birthplace. The children were enrolled in public school to learn English. During William's army career, which lasted until his retirement, the family moved almost annually between Germany and the U.S. This included multiple tours of duty in Frankfurt, Darmstadt and Bad Kreuznach, Germany; as well as Groton; Ft Belvoir, Va.; Salina, Kansas; Moses Lake, Wash.; and Fort Bragg and Fayetteville, N.C.

Patrick graduated from Karlsruhe American High School (Karlsruhe, Germany) in 1966. Seeking more permanent roots after frequent moves with a large family, Patrick returned to Mystic. He became well-known for hosting unforgettable get-togethers, drawing in unusual personalities from all walks of life. He was an avid reader and scholar of world history, especially WWII, as he lived in its aftermath in Germany as a young child. Patrick always enjoyed music, predominantly English and Irish folk music. He scoured the New York Times for reviews of new music and new books to seek out. He relished spending long hours in conversation and storytelling with friends. Patrick married Eleanor Leon in June 1996, and together they raised two children, a son, Miguel and a daughter, Atalaya. Among his occupations were newspaper journalist, waiter/ bartender, and construction in the Mystic area.

Patrick was the oldest of 11 children. He is survived by his two children and seven siblings, Christine Moore (Perry) (Arizona), Michael (Lynette) (Colorado), Jeffery (Texas), John Timothy (Terry) (Florida), Donald (Aziza) (South Carolina & Egypt), Mary Hardin (Wesley) (Pennsylvania), and Robert (Darlene) (New Jersey). He was predeceased by his parents and by three siblings, William (Billy), Gary, and James (Judy Hammer).

A memorial gathering will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. Aug.13, 2019, on the patio of the Mystic Art Museum.

Condolences may be shared on Patrick's memorial page at www.neilanfuneralhome.com.