Patrick Thomas Murphy
born March 26, 1935 - passed October 20, 2022

Patrick Thomas Murphy passed away peacefully in his sleep on Thursday, October 20, 2022, at the age of 87 with his wife of 65 ½ years, Lois, by his side. He was born in Eureka on March 26, 1935. He is survived by the love of his life, Lois Ann Murphy, whom he met at the Holmes Flat swimming hole in 1955. He was welcomed to heaven by many friends and family members before him. Family that is here to support one another through this very difficult time are his three children, oldest daughter, Kelly Murphy of Fortuna; his youngest daughter Joy Carter, of Monterey and his son and daughter-in-love, Roy and Leslie Murphy of Pleasant View, Tenn. He is also cherished by his three grandsons, Patrick & (Ashley), Christopher and Neil and (Jennifer); two granddaughters, Megan and (Piper) and Kachelle; two adopted granddaughters, Jackie and Natalie’ his 14 great-grandchildren who all adored him and were often found on his lap playing with “GRAMPS” in many photos. To the many nephews, nieces and cousins — he loved you all!

Pat was born in Eureka, but by the time he was 8 years old his parents, Bill and Minnie Murphy and purchased the Redcrest Grocery Story on the Avenue of Giants and moved to Redcrest. After attending elementary school in Holmes Flat, he attended Fortuna High from 1949 until graduating in 1953. He soon became part of the upriver gang, which were all the kids from Redcrest, Holmes and Pepperwood that had to ride the school bus up the Eel River into Fortuna High. He excelled at Fortuna High in academics, as well as sports, he played football, baseball, a Golden Glove boxing champion, and wrestler. He was an active FFA Member raising sheep on the Murphy’s property. He worked for local dairies in Ferndale and Loleta all through high school. After high school he was scouted by the SF Giants, he met Babe Ruth and continued to play ball for the Humboldt Crabs, he was known for his left-handed pitching ability and his incredible skill on first base! He was offered a scholarship to play baseball. He turned it down.

Patrick had several other interest and hobbies at the time, he married the love of his life in 1957, went to work for Pacific Lumber Company. He continued with his hobbies, that would become his lifelong experiences and memories he sought after. He was an avid hound man, owning up to 15 hounds at one time. He hunted and we ate it all, no waste. His first buck he shot at 6 with his daddy holding him on his shoulders. He hunted everything from grouse, pheasant, ducks, turkey, to deer, to bear, to elk and one of his favorite hunts and meat was buffalo! As far as fishing and being a master fisherman, WOW!! He fished every river in the six-rivers national forest, but the Eel, Van Duzen and Mad rivers mostly. He fished the Humboldt Bay and surrounding ocean with comfort, ease, and respect. By the early 1960’s we had bought property out in Trinity County on the Van Duzen Rd., we moved out to the Dinsmore area permanently in 1967, He raised his family out there and his parents kept the store in Redcrest for over 40+ years. He went to work for Louisiana Pacific mill out at Dinsmore, when it shut down, he was a logger, a road builder and heavy equipment operator for years out in the Dinsmore area. Once he got older and his 3 kids had graduated high school he moved mom back to town, he spent the later part of his working career running the big crane/shovel stacking logs for EEL Rivers Sawmill until he retired in 2000. He and his wife Lois then returned to their family home in Dinsmore.

He became an avid tournament BASS fisherman in the early 1970s. He was also one of the men that planted the first BASS in Ruth Lake. He eventually went on to become 7th in the state of California among Western BASS. He made the ranking in Western BASS magazine. They wrote an article about him, stating what an accomplished bass fisherman he had become. They described the beauty and splendor of fishing for bass on his local lake, known as Ruth Lake, where he planted the bass and help build that lake! He ran heavy equipment building the dam for Ruth Lake. Thanks Dad, for improving the destination location of Ruth Lake and making it a BASS Lake that many enjoy to this day! He and his friend Keith Clow won the 3rd Annual Ruth Bass Fishing Tournament! That was one of many trophies, he loved fishing more and more. He sold his ranger bass boat 2018 to a local man after he couldn’t fish any longer. It did his heart good to know his boat could still be seen on Ruth Lake to this day!

He had the gift of being a true storyteller and he always loved sharing the many he had with family and friends, he was a country man, a simple man, he loved his family and would protect them at all costs. He loved nature and being out in it. He was one of the kindest people you would ever meet, with the biggest smile you’d ever see. He truly lived the life of… if you don’t have anything nice to say about someone don’t say anything! He loved Jesus and knew God and rarely went to the building called church. It was no matter as he demonstrated to all that he knew what a person who loves unconditionally constantly and consistently looks like. There is nothing as strong as true gentleness, and nothing a gentle as true strength. This was Pat Murphy! Our family hero! Greatly loved and missed by all!

His wishes are to have a “Celebration of Life” on Ruth Lake. We have planned this for Saturday July 8, 2023, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Location and more details on Pat’s “Celebration of Life” on Ruth Lake to be announced as we get closer to date. Mama wanted the sun shining and Dad wanted the fish biting!

Our family would like to thank you, for all the phone calls, cards, and prayers. If you want, please send any memorial donations to one of his favorite’s charities, St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, Wounded Warrior Project, or Ruth Community Church in Ruth, California.

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The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Patrick Murphy’s loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here. Email news@lostcoastoutpost.com.