Richard John Murphy

Richard “Dick” John Murphy passed away on August 14, 2022, near his beloved home in Sebastopol and new home in Penngrove, California.

Dick was born on November 11, 1935, in Evanston, Illinois and moved with his parents to California as a young man. Dick had a love of flowers and plants and graduated from Cal Poly Pomona with a degree in horticulture. He was married to his loving wife, Gloria, for 57 years. He was a father to his three children and had a successful career with the State of California for many years.

Beyond his love for family and friends, Dick had a passion for gardening including fruits, vegetables, and especially flowers which he entered in many local county fair competitions. He was also a member of the YMI at St. Sebastian Church in Sebastopol, where he was a dedicated parishioner and volunteer. Dick loved to travel and visited many places around the world with Gloria.

He was preceded in death by his father John, mother Ann, and wife Gloria. Dick is survived by his daughters Lisa and Michelle, his son Mike, and their spouses (Bruce, Vic, and Martha) along with his seven loving grandchildren, and four great grandchildren.

A Rosary will be said at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, August 29 at Parent-Sorensen Mortuary, 301 S. Main Street, Sebastopol, CA. A private mass for immediate family will be held for Dick at a later date. He will be remembered for his kindness, humor, always finding the good in things, and his unwavering love for family and friends, and will be greatly missed. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Redwood Empire Food Bank, one of Dick’s favorite charities.

Parent-Sorensen Mortuary-Sebastopol