John Ralph Murphy (Ralph), of Morrison, passed away Sunday, August 13, 2023 at the age of 87. He died from complications due to atrial fibrillation at Littleton Adventist Health (Advent Health Littleton) where he received excellent and kind care.
Born in Clinton, Oklahoma, he spent his early childhood in Laramie, Wyoming and Kansas City, Kansas. He moved with his parents and siblings to Denver in 1948. He attended East High School, received a B.S. from University of Colorado, and an M.B.A. from the University of Denver. He was a banker most of his life and served as President of two Community banks (one in Denver and one in Idaho Springs). He also served on the Board of a Bank in Golden and was President of the Denver Chapter of the American Banking Institute during 1992-93. For about ten years starting in the late 1970's, he ran his own mortgage Company, The Murphy Corporation, based in Englewood. Upon graduating from CU, he was a commissioned officer in the Army. He performed both active and reserve duty and resigned his commission while a Captain.
Retiring in his 60's, he expanded his time spent on activities he loved; hiking, fly fishing, gold, skiing, sailing (both his own boat and boats he chartered and Captained in the Caribbean) and travel. He did these activities while at his homes in Colorado, Florida, and Arizona. He traveled to all 7 continents, including Antarctica, mainly on adventure excursions. Ralph was a man who loved his family. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Dr. Charlotte Wallace Murphy, his two sons, Mark Charles and John Scott, and his two grandsons, Tyler Charles (married to Nastassja Michel) and Caiden Scott. He is one of only four people in Colorado to have ever received an Honorary Black Belt in Taekwondo. This was because of enduring and committed support for the sport his grandsons loved. He is preceded in death by his two younger brothers, Tom Alan Murphy and Robert Patrick Murphy.
He sponsored and would be grateful for donations to: Denver Food Bank, The Nature Conservancy, National Geographic or the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
A funeral service for John will be held Tuesday, August 22, 2023 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at Olinger Chapel Hill Mortuary & Cemetery, 6601 South Colorado Blvd, Centennial, CO 80121, followed by a graveside service from 11:00 AM to 11:30 AM.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.olingerchapelhill.com for the Murphy family.
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