James Murphy

James Edgar Murphy went home to Jesus on May 22, 2022, at age 74.

James (Jim to friends) was born to Ray Edward Murphy and Mabel Jean Murphy on October 19, 1947, in Guthrie, Oklahoma.

As a young person, Jim dreamed of being a Marine and he fulfilled that boyhood dream by enlisting in 1966. He served 4 years, including a short tour in Vietnam. He met his wife, Loretta Dawn, in 1968 at the NCO Club in Quantico, Virginia. They fell in love and married April 18, 1969. After their firstborn son, David James, arrived in 1970, they moved back to Jim’s home state of Oklahoma.  Their second-born son, Kevin Andrew, arrived in 1972.

In addition to being a dedicated and loving husband & father (Jim adored his Dawn and their boys), he enjoyed watching westerns and monster movies and serving at their home church of Portland Avenue Baptist, where he & Dawn taught first-grade Sunday School and helped with an after-school program called Whiz Kids. His favorite activity was spending time with his 4 grandchildren – Josiah, Katey, Kidist, and Nathanael. He rarely passed up an opportunity to babysit them, and as they grew older, he could always be found cheering them on from the sidelines.

Jim is preceded in death by his wife, Loretta Dawn Murphy, and his parents, Ray E. Murphy and Mabel J. Murphy.

He is survived by his 2 sons, David Murphy (Michelle) of Oklahoma City, OK, and Kevin Murphy (Carla) of Yukon, OK; 4 grandchildren; and 2 siblings, Judy McGuire (Duane) of Crescent, OK, and Jerry Murphy (Pat) of Guthrie, OK.

James Edgar Murphy’s Memorial Celebration will be held on Friday, June 3, 2022, at 11:00 a.m.  Pastor Walter Mullican is officiating at Portland Avenue Baptist Church, 1301 N. Portland Avenue, Oklahoma City, OK  73107.