William F. "Bill" Murphy 1927 - 2019

MURPHY, STUKONIS, WEGHER

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 9/9/2019 at 18:55:58

Sioux City Journal
13 August 2019

Sioux City

William F. "Bill" Murphy, 92, of Sioux City, passed away Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019, in Sioux City with his wife, Joyce, and his six children by his side.

Services will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at Waterbury Funeral Service of Sioux City, 4125 Orleans Ave. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery, with military rites by the U.S. Navy. Visitation will be 5 to 7 p.m. today, with a prayer service at 7 p.m., at the funeral home.

Bill was born in Sioux City, on April 22, 1927, to John Samuel Murphy and Bernice (Stukonis) Murphy. Bill graduated from East High School in 1945 and went on to serve in the U.S. Navy. He served on the Battleship USS New Jersey, sister ship of the USS Iowa, in San Francisco for 16 months after high school. He attended the University of South Dakota on the GI bill after serving his country honorably.

Joyce Lee (Wegher) Murphy and Bill were united in marriage on Dec. 27, 1947, at Immaculate Conception Church and enjoyed 72 years of marriage.

Bill was an outstanding athlete in football, basketball and track while attending East High School. He was the first recipient of the most outstanding football player by the Greater Sioux City Athletic Association in 1944 for ability and sportsmanship. Bill served on the Sioux City Little League board of directors and coached for 23 years. He was instrumental in the construction of the Pulaski Little League Park.

As a brick mason, he was a lifetime member of the Sioux City Local 5 bricklayers union and he received a gold pin as an honor. He worked for several local contractors and started Murphy Masonry with his son, Tom, in 1974. Bill retired in 1992.

Upon retirement, he and Joyce built their own brick home and enjoyed fishing on the Minnewashta canal in Arnolds Park, Iowa, until returning to Sioux City in 2015 to be closer to family. He and Joyce enjoyed their children, 19 grandchildren, and 24 great-grandchildren in all of their endeavors.

Survivors include his wife, Joyce (Wegher) Murphy; his children, W. Patrick Murphy of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Sandi Hansen (Dave) of Omaha, Tom Murphy (Janet) of Sioux City, John Murphy (Lisa) of Sioux City, Jim Murphy (Sue) of Sioux Falls, S.D., Kelli Tuttle (Joe) of Sioux City; 19 grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren; and one niece, Ginny Sigler.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents; his siblings, Bea Meloy, and John Paul Murphy; a daughter-in-law, Marsha Murphy; a nephew, Paul Meloy; a great-grandson, Joseph Michael Herrig; and a great-great-granddaughter, Huxley Jean Kudlock.