LEEDS – Keeran “Joe” Murphy Jr., 85, of Route 106, Leeds, died early Saturday morning, Nov. 22, at his home surrounded by his family.

He was born Aug. 22, 1923, in Providence, R.I., the son of Keeran J. and Elizabeth (West) Murphy Sr.

He was a graduate of LaSalle Academy in Providence, R.I. He moved to Maine with his family in 1938. Joe joined the U.S. Marines and served in Hawaii during World War II and participated in the occupation of Japan.

On April 30, 1947, he married his wife of 61 years, Elizabeth E. Stevens, at St. Joseph’s Church in Lewiston. For the past 65 years he worked as a self-employed business man. Joe worked as a private contractor for the State of Maine and the Town of Leeds, building and plowing roads. He also owned and drove school buses for the Town of Leeds, and was also a certified logging professional.

He was a communicant of St. Frances Xavier Church in Winthrop.

Joe was a member of the Leeds Volunteer Fire Department, the Small Woodland Association of Maine, and the Winthrop American Legion Post No. 40. Joe enjoyed working and keeping busy.

He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Murphy, of Leeds; two sons, Kevin Timothy Murphy and Kristopher Trent Murphy and his wife, Danielle, both of Leeds; his daughter-in-law, Alice Murphy, also of Leeds; grandchildren, Keeran Jon Murphy and his wife, Shelly, of Leeds, Katina Jae Griffin and her husband, Chris, of San Francisco, Calif., Kyle Jeff Murphy and his wife, Shearon, of Winthrop, Samantha M. Gnipp and her husband, Carlos, of Leeds, Tamara M. Barry and her husband, Joel, of Leeds, Kevin Daniel Murphy of Lewiston, Kristopher Joseph Murphy of Sabattus, and Lauren Lord of Leeds; eight great-grandchildren, Emily A., Shane M., Anabeth A. and Aerilynn S. Murphy, Karlee M. and Isaac N. Barry, and Kayla M. and Maracella I. Gnipp; his brother, Morgan E. “Eddie” Murphy and his wife, Claire, of South Pomfret, Vt.; his sister-in-law, Claire Murphy of Leeds; and 24 nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by his son, Keeran Thomas Murphy; a grandson, Keeran Jimmy Murphy; and a brother, John J. Murphy.