HARTFORD – Earl H. Murphy Jr., 80, died at his home on the Berry Road in Hartford, on Friday, April 10, after a long illness.

He was born in Rumford, on Feb. 15, 1929, the son of Earl H. and Hazel H. (Noble) Murphy of Mexico.

He worked for two years at Diamond National Mill in Peru. At 18, he went to work at Oxford Paper Co. (now Boise Cascade), Rumford, where he worked for 44 years.

On Oct. 23, 2008, he and his wife, the former Beverly Berry, celebrated 60 years of marriage. He recently celebrated his 80th birthday with his family. They lived in Mexico for 32 years. They moved back to Mrs. Murphy’s home in 1980, to take care of her parents and the farm.

He enjoyed hunting, fishing, camping, snowmobiling, watching races at the Oxford Plains or on TV. He also liked to read, watch the birds and feed them. He enjoyed kennel club meetings and dog shows, especially when one of the two family dogs were in it. He loved the babies, small kids of the church and neighborhood and loved watching them grow and change.

He is survived by his wife, Beverly; son, Jeffrey Murphy and his wife, Joyce, of Strong; daughters, Eileen Gondron of The Woodlands, Texas, anf Maureen Wheeler and husband, Charles, of Hartford; brother, Larry D. Murphy and companion, Dianne Gallant of Rumford; sister, Beverly Beeler and husband, Don of Portland; grandchildren, Christopher Gondron and his wife, Marla, of Austin, Texas, Brandy Hayes and husband, Adam, of The Woodlands, Texas, Megan Gondron of Conroe, Texas, Darby Murphy of Honolulu, Hawaii, and Mariah Dailey of Hartford and Canton; stepgranddaughter, Heather Huish and husband, David, of Farmington; great-granddaughter, Alexis Hayes of The Woodlands, Texas; and stepgreat-granddaughters, Zoe and Gretchen Huish of Farmington; and several nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by his parents; and a brother, Richard.

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