Paul Edward Murphy was blessed with an abundance of leadership qualities. It would be accurate to say that this man was an outstanding luminary and that his natural abilities served him well. He knew with certainty how he wanted to set priorities in all aspects of his life. He struck those who knew him as the kind of person who awoke in the morning with a clear sense of exactly what he expected from his day and how to set about accomplishing those goals. Paul was a man who definitely liked order and was most comfortable with an organized and structured lifestyle. When this climate was absent, Paul would set about immediately to create it.
His parents were Paul and Alberta Murphy. Paul was raised in Massachusetts. Paul was brought up to be reasonable in his actions and was taught to use his intellect wisely. He was an honest and straightforward child, traits that reinforced his self-confidence. Even at a young age, Paul was credited with having a positive influence on those around him.
The positive atmosphere that Paul generated spread to his family. Paul was raised with two siblings. He had one younger sister Evelyn and a younger brother Bernard. Paul served as a catalyst within the family. He often found himself in the role of providing fair solutions to those sibling disputes. In every family activity, Paul was able to demonstrate his uncommon logic and skill at building compromise.
Paul’s enthusiasm for learning and the personal energy that enthusiasm generated led to his exhibiting leadership qualities early on in his childhood. He liked to see things executed properly and showed a skill for taking control of situations that were drifting out of control. At the same time, he was willing to experiment with different approaches as he worked a plan towards a solution. As a young boy, he took part in baseball, bowling and golf. He was an Altar Boy and a Boy Scout. In his spare time he liked playing baseball and building model airplanes.
When it came to academics and school, Paul’s organizational skills reaped dividends. Paul was able to create a system for getting his class work done in a proper and timely manner. With a strong ability to analyze his schoolwork and assignments, he could apply a practical, common sense approach completing his studies. He showed a natural curiosity in the manner in which he tackled new types of problems and would regularly challenge his own reasoning ability in finding solutions. He graduated from Waltham High School in 1949. He enjoyed some courses more than others and developed favorite classes and teachers. His favorite class in high school was Chemistry.
As Paul knew in other aspects of his life, he had a clear vision of what he sought in a relationship and worked hard to achieve it. On November 23, 1974 Paul exchanged wedding vows with Mary Louise Morrison at Little Church Of The West of Las Vegas, Nevada. Mary was a significant part of his life, and it wasn’t necessary for Paul to be overly sentimental or expressive about it for others to be aware of their mutual devotion. Paul’s secret to success was that he always kept the lines of communication open in the marriage and applied the important skill of being a good listener.
Family and children were important to Paul, even if he didn’t always show it. Paul was blessed with four children, Chris, Audrey, Irene and Gayle. They were also blessed with twelve grandchildren, Ryan Murphy, Russell Murphy, Kimberly Bailey, June Perez, Greg Gleason, Melissa Tribble, Aaron, LaVelle, Alex LaVelle, Hope LaVelle, Brandy Salazar, Joseph Murray and Zach Fehrenbacher. There are also Seventeen grandchildren: Kayli Gleason, Jossalyn Gleason, Amanda Perez, Emma Perez, David Murphy, Jason Murphy, Rachel Murphy, Allison Bailey, Jaime Bailey, Michael Murphy, Juliana Salazar, Natalie Salazar, Lily Tribble and Benjamin Tribble. Five Nieces and Nephews-Theresa Tim, Debbie Patrick, Mike Kathy, Becky Deanna and Ruth Trottier. Paul was able to keep order in the family by using the same efficient and straightforward methods with the family as he did at work. Paul rarely made a scene when it came to discipline. Instead, he was subtle and patient in his dealings when teaching the children right from wrong.
At work Paul was viewed as a natural leader. He could marshal all of the available resources, including personnel and materials, in order to meet virtually any objective. He was great at developing strategies and made maximum progress with little wasted effort. Paul was also adept at uncovering new and more efficient ways of getting things done. He was able to establish and meet objectives and schedules through long range planning and was always able to keep the big picture clearly in sight. Although Paul might have been described by some as an overachiever, he was without question a dedicated and diligent employee. His primary occupation was an Airline Pilot. He was employed for many wonderful years with Northwest Airlines.
Paul was an Air Force veteran. He was in Bermuda as a Hurricane Hunter. Paul saw action for the Korean War. Through his dedication and hard work, he achieved the rank of Sergeant. He received several awards including many military commendations. Paul’s fellow soldiers knew that he worked well within the system, understanding the importance of rules and striving to follow them. Paul’s life approach was all about order.
Not only did Paul find pleasure in pursuing his various hobbies, he also enjoyed the discovery and research involved in learning about them. His skill at problem solving had a positive influence on these activities as well. His favorite pursuits were playing golf, wood working, boating and photography.
No matter what the activity was, Paul had the ability to motivate others. This talent influenced his participation in sports, too. He sought out the possibilities in a competitive situation, and he stayed cool and calm under pressure. He relished the stimulation of the action and energy associated with sports. In high school, Paul played baseball. Recreational sports included bowling and playing golf. He was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed following his favorite events whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were baseball and golf.
Paul lived his life guided by a well-defined set of beliefs. His faith and religion were important aspects of those beliefs. He was a member of the local Catholic Church. During his time in the Catholic Church, he was an Altar Boy as a young man.
Traveling, especially vacations, was another way for Paul to apply his exceptional leadership and organizational skills. He liked exploring different places but also enjoyed designing and scheduling the trips in advance. He had real talent for developing the perfect itineraries. Favorite vacations included going to the cabin in Utah and traveling to Mexico and Puerta Vallarta.
Paul was a lover of animals and cherished his pets. One of Paul’s favorites was Boots a cat. They were best friends for 8 years. His family was rounded out by his Dachsunds-Dudley and Candy.
When Paul’s retirement finally came in 1985, he was well prepared. He had worked out all of the details well in advance and knew exactly what he was going to do. His new life involved relocating to Las Vegas, Nevada. In retirement, he found new pleasure in golfing, bowling and woodworking. Always a well-informed person, Paul enjoyed adding to his wealth of knowledge. Retirement afforded him the time to enjoy that experience and provided one more opportunity to look ahead at what life might offer him.
Paul passed away on January 31, 2012 at Mountainview Hospital in Las vegas, Nevada. He is survived by his spouse, children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces and nephews. Services were held at Palm Cheyenne Mortuary 7400 W. Cheyenne Las Vegas, Nevada. Paul was laid to rest in the Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Boulder City, Nevada.
Paul Edward Murphy knew what he wanted from life and never hesitated in going after it. He could be characterized as a driven individual, someone who understood the importance of achievement. Paul was decisive and outspoken at times but was also positive and upbeat about most things. He was a leader, both intentionally and sometimes by default. If he saw that something needed to be done, he was always ready to step up and actualize, organize and implement a plan.