MURPHY, Augustine "Gus" 1879-1943

MURPHY, WHALEN, POWERS, COLLINS, MOORE

Posted By: Errin Wilker
Date: 11/6/2013 at 19:03:04

OBITUARY - GUS MURPHY

The above named gentleman passed away Friday afternoon, October 8th, at St. Francis Hospital, La Crosse, following an illness of several months duration. He was born Jan. 28th, 1879, in Lafayette township, a son of Mary Ann Powers and John J. Murphy. After attending the rural schools and farming, he was married to Miss Catherine Whalen of Lansing May 9th, 1911, who preceded him in death in January, 1942. To this union were born six children, one daughter, Gertrude, passing away at the tender age of six. Left to mourn the passing of a kind and indulgent father are four daughters, Mrs. Leo Collins, Harpers Ferry, Ensign Jeanette of Farragut, Idaho, Alice at home, and Eleanor, of La Crosse; one son, Pvt. James Murphy of the U.S. Army stationed at Engineers College, Pasadena, California. Other immediate survivors include his brother, John J. and sister, Mrs. John Moore, of Lansing. Besides his parents, two brothers and two sisters preceded him in death.

Mr. Murphy moved to Lansing in 1918 with his family and since that time has continuously been employed by the Milwaukee Railroad as section foreman out of Lansing. He was an industrious and hard worker all his life, a good neighbor and true friend, devoted to his family and church and died fortified by its last holy rites. he was a member of St. Matthew's Council No. 1570 of the Waukon Knights of Columbus.

The funeral services consisting of a Solemn Requiem High Mass, with Father Henry Scharphoff as celebrant, Father John Costello as deacon and Father Lawrence Craney, as sub-deacon, were held at Immaculate Conception Church, Lansing, Monday morning at 9:30 o'clock, with burial in Gethsemane Cemetery beside his loved ones gone before. Carrying his mortal remains to their final resting place were Henry Burke, Bill Manning, Arne Helle, Clarence Spinner, William Curran and Merle Kelleher.

Out of town relatives attending the funeral services were his nephews, John and Frank Murphy, Chicago; William J. Whalen, La Crosse; John P. Whalen, Schofield, Wis.; Mr. and Mrs. Rudy Kemp, Viroqua, Wis.; Mr. and Mrs. P.J. Rachor, Des Moines; Mrs. Henry Fitzpatrick and son Thos. and daughter Mary Kay, Madison, Wis.; Mr. and Mrs. Eddie Benz and daughter Mary, Rock Island, Ill., and Mr. Thomas Manton, Cedar Rapids.

Source: Newspaper clipping from a New Albin area scrapbook, hand-dated 1945.

_____ _____ _____

Added by Richard O'Brien, 11/07/2013:
I believe he died 1943 Oct 08. Obits from the Waukon Democrat and the Waukon Republican-Standard support this date. I also have church records from Lansing that show 1943 as date of death. His gravestone also has 1943 as date of death.