Thomas J. Murphy
Photo from the collection of Brenda McLain.
Thomas J. Murphy
Photo from the collection of Brenda McLain.
Thomas J. Murphy
Vice Consul of the United States of America
Calling card from the collection of Brenda McLain.
Funeral services were held on Wednesday, May 6, at 2 p.m. in the First Baptist Church in Sun City, Kansas, for Thomas J. Murphy, 65, who died in his home in Sun City, on Monday of this week.He was born at Shelton, Conn., and lived until young manhood there where he attended school and was a member of the St. Joseph's Catholic Church. He furthered his education at George Washington University in Washington, D. C.
During World War I, he served with the U. S. Naval service, afterward returning to his employment with the U. S. Immigration Service in Washington. In 1921 he was sent to Constantinople, Turkey, to work in an advisory capacity with the American Consular Service and in 1924 he was made Vice Consul in charge of Immigration for Northern and Western Europe and the British Isles with headquarters in London. He returned to the United States in 1933 where he remained until 1939 when he servered his connection with government service because of physical disability. He was united in marriage August 8, 1939 to Ruby Ellen Massey, thereafter, coming to Sun City, Kansas, where he made his home.
He is survived by the wife, Ruby.
Burial was in Sunnyside Cemetery in Sun City, Kansas.
Thomas J. Murphy's passport.
From the collection of Brenda McLain.
Thomas J. Murphy's passport.
From the collection of Brenda McLain.
Thomas J. Murphy's passport.
From the collection of Brenda McLain.
Thomas J. Murphy's passport.
From the collection of Brenda McLain.
Thomas J. Murphy.
Photo from the collection of Brenda McLain.
Thomas J. Murphy.
Photo from the collection of Brenda McLain.
Thomas J. Murphy with two Naval officers.
Photo from the collection of Brenda McLain.
Thomas J. Murphy on the beach, date & location unknown.
Photo from the collection of Brenda McLain.
Thomas J. Murphy and Ruby Ellen Massey on their wedding day, August 8, 1939.
Ruby Massey was the daughter of Joseph P. Massey & Artha Van Horn Massey.
Photo from the collection of Brenda McLain.
Military gravestone for Thomas J. Murphy, Sunnyside Cemetery, Sun City, Kansas.
Photo courtesy of Kim Fowles.
Gravestone for Thomas J. Murphy, Sunnyside Cemetery, Sun City, Kansas.
Photo courtesy of Kim Fowles.
Gravestone for Ruby Massey Murphy Bullock, Sunnyside Cemetery, Sun City, Ks.
(After T.J. Murphy died, Rubey Massey Murphy married Lyle Bullock.)
Photo courtesy of Kim Fowles.
This page was created 18 August 2005 and last updated 24 April 2006."I always thought Tom was a handsome fellow. He had such a strong resemblence to FDR, I thought, I guess similarities in their jaw line. He was passionately opposed to him and Grandma (Artha) thought FDR was the redeemer so that made for some political discussion in the house. They were very compatible however; though they were so different in beliefs, politics and background." -- David Massey, from an email to Kim Fowles, 26 August 2005.
Mark McLain with Tom and Ruby (Massey) Murphy
Photo courtesy of Brenda McLain.
Thanks to Kim Fowles for arranging the contribution of the above photos and to Shirley Brier for finding, transcribing and contributing the above obituaries to this web site!
