JOHN MURPHY

A wake service for John J. Murphy, 80, of Appleton, will be Saturday, January 24, 2009, at the Whiting Boat House, 98 5th St., Neenah, beginning at 1:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. John died surrounded by his family on January 15, 2009, at Theda Clark Medical Center, Neenah, after a sudden illness. He was born August 8, 1928, in Outagamie County. He married Mary Ellen Samson of February 12, 1949, in Neenah. John was a Navy veteran of World War II, serving aboard the U.S.S. Randolph. He was a graduate of Neenah High School. John was active in Democratic Party politics, serving as county chairman of the 1960 Kennedy campaign. He also was a delegate to the Democratic Convention in Chicago in 1956. He served as president of the Spring Road School Board and was a founder of the Town of Menasha Boys Little League. John worked for many years at Riverside Paper in Appleton. He also worked in real estate and had many business interests. His last job was making deliveries for Walgreens. He is survived by his wife, Mary Ellen; a brother, Joe, of Guam; a daughter, Sharon, of Milwaukee; six sons, John, of Carlsbad, CA, Hank, of Florence, Daniel, of Appleton, Patrick, of Bloomington, MN, James, of Appleton, and Sean, of Neenah. He also is survived by ten grandchildren, Gwenyth, Megan, Angelica, Tierney, Ryan, Lauren, Shavaughn, Andy, Elise, and Tessa. A daughter, Shelly, preceded him in death as did a brother, William, and his sister, Patricia Johnson.