He was born on April 21, 1945, the middle of 3 children to John and Dorothy Murphy in Bell, California, where he then moved to Montebello, California at the age of 2 where he was raised. He attended Jr. High in Montebello, and also graduated from high school there as well. He attended Pomona College for a time. He met Patricia Ray in Jr. High, and they have been together for 57 years. In 1964, they were wed at Our Lady of Sorrows in Montebello. Jerry joined the Navy Reserve in 1963, and went active Navy in 1965, making a career of the Navy. He was out to sea, and spent the next 12 years between Long Beach and San Diego, and was then stationed in Memphis, Tennessee, after promising Patsy he would always get her back home. Three years later, when the military asked where he would like his next duty station to be, he said anywhere west of the Mississippi (he was stationed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, 5 miles west of the Mississippi.) He then travelled to 4 other states, being in charge of the reserve in those states. His final duty station where he spent his next 8 years until his Navy retirement was in Seattle, Washington. Jerry then worked for Snohomish County Sherriff’s Department in Washington for 10 years, and then moved to Mesa, Arizona in 1999, and worked for Tempe Police Department for 10 years until retiring in January of 2008. To Jerry, his family was everything and with having all girls in the house, he learned to be a patient man. He loved to play golf (even though he wasn’t good at it), and he was a member of the Patriot Guard Veteran’s motorcycle escort organization.
Jerry is survived by his wife of 53 years, Patsy; daughters, Kelli Carey, Traci Toupin, Kristi Hill (Son-in-law Rob); grandchildren Michael, Mandi, Chase, Kayla, Caitlin, Ally, Caleb, Zak; great grandchildren Bentley and Brooklyn.
A memorial service will be held on Sunday, October 16, 2016, at 11:00 am at Valley of the Sun Mortuary.
In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to the American Cancer Society.
Arrangements under the direction of Valley of the Sun Mortuary & Cemetery, Chandler, AZ.
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