Obituary - Arnold R. Murphy

Thursday, November 29, 2001
THE JUNEAU EMPIRE

Juneau resident Arnold R. "Arnie" Murphy died Sept. 25, 2001, in Astoria, Ore.

He was born Feb. 24, 1942, at Seabird Island, British Columbia, to Wilfred and Mary Murphy. He worked as a logger in Washington, Canada and Southeast Alaska.

He was very proud of his Sto:l??dian heritage and was skilled since childhood as a hunter and fisherman who took great pride in providing for his family and friends.

After retiring from logging he spent 10 years as an alcohol counselor, living and working among the Tlingit people of Southeast. He was proud of his 24 years of sobriety and was very dedicated to helping others. He was honored by the Tlingit people who adopted him as Yaanak'ch of the Deisheetaan Raven House in Angoon.

As ordained ministers, Murphy and his wife Nancy traveled the past six years ministering to and living among the Tlingit, Athabascan and Sto___ople of Alaska and Canada. He was preparing to return to his reserve in Canada to fulfill his dream of working on sobriety-related causes with his own people when he died.

Family members remember him as a quiet and gentle man who loved and proclaimed the Lord and who will live long in the hearts of family and friends.

In addition to his wife Nancy of Juneau, he is survived by his brother Michael (and Karen) Orazio of Fairbanks, adopted brothers Joe Bennett Sr. and George Miyasato of Juneau; sons Mark, David (and Janna) and Paul Smith of Juneau, and Wilfred Murphy of Auburn, Wash., and daughters Julie Reel (and David) of Juneau, Denise Smith of Fairbanks, Lori Humphries (and Robert) of Warrenton, Ore., Monica Williams (and Tony) of Marysville, Wash., and Andrea Drynock of Lytton, B.C., Canada; 19 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his son, Leslie Murphy.

Honorary pallbearers include Mark Jacobs Jr., George Max, Rick Barton, Harold Jacobs, Tim South, Walter Bennett Sr., Bob Bennett and Bob Turner.

A celebration of life will be held at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 30, at the Glacier Valley Church of God. A reception will follow.