69°
STAMFORD, Conn. James "Jim" Michael Murphy, a longtime resident of Stamford and Greenwich, died Aug. 3 surrounded by his children. He was 80.
He was the owner of Murphy's Townhouse Cafe in downtown Stamford.
Murphy was born May 20, 1932, in Greenwich to the late James and Kathleen "Kitty" Murphy. He attended Greenwich High School, where he lettered in baseball and football. At the start of the Korean War, Murphy volunteered for the Army and trained as a ranger and later a paratrooper.
After his service, Murphy attended the Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy and graduated in 1956 with a degree in mechanical engineering. He was captain of the football team at the school and played as both a wide receiver and defensive end.
Murphy then joined the engineering division of AMF and worked as a design engineer on government missile-launching systems. He also worked as a sales engineer for air cargo handling systems.
When AMF moved his department out of the area, Murphy joined his mother's real estate firm, Murphy and Murphy Real Estate. He specialized in land and new housing developments. In 1980, Murphy opened Murphy's Townhouse Cafe with his daughter, Dawn. He enjoyed lunch there daily.
An avid golfer, Murphy was a member of the Innis Arden Golf Club for more than 20 years. He enjoyed traveling and played in tournaments and at top-rated courses around the world. He has three lifetime holes-in-one.
He was predeceased by a daughter, Kathleen; a son, James Michael Murphy Jr.; and a sister, Louise Pflumm. He is survived by his former wife, Maryann Murphy; three daughters, Maureen Murphy (Tim) Kenefickand, of New Canaan, Dawn Murphy (George) Deehan, of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., and Jennifer Murphy (Todd) Wikman, of Stamford; a son, Terrence Murphy, of Stamford; six grandchildren and his longtime friend, Barbara Olsen. Murphy is also survived by a sister, Ann Conti, of Noank, Conn.; and three brothers, William Murphy, of Wilmington, Del., Jack Murphy, of Santa Fe, N.M., and Daniel Murphy.
The family will receive friends from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday at Bosak Funeral Home. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Our Lady Star of the Sea Church in Stamford. Burial will follow at Putnam Cemetery in Greenwich.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Stamford and receive free news updates.
