Douglas A. Murphy of The Villages, Florida died from pulmonary fibrosis on March 18th in Cornerstone Hospice in The Villages, Florida. He was 70 years old.
Doug was born January 22, 1949 in Dover, New Hampshire to Carmita and Arthur Murphy. He graduated from Dover High School in 1967 and was selected to attend St. Paul’s Prep School in Concord, NH the summer before his senior year and in 1971 graduated from the United States Naval Academy, where he earned a degree in Mathematics. At Annapolis, Doug ran indoor track and starred on his Company’s Lightweight Football team, leading them to a Regimental Championship in 1970.
Doug married his high school sweetheart, Jill Tuttle in 1971, and together they moved to Vallejo, CA for the Navy’s Nuclear Power School in Idaho Falls where his first daughter Shawna was born. The family returned in 1972 to Groton, CT for Submarine School before his assignment to the USS Ethan Allen (SSBN 608) in Bremerton, WA., and later in Pearl Harbor, HI. From 1976 – 1978 Doug served as an Instructor at a Submarine Prototype School in Windsor CT., after which he separated from the Navy.
Doug was recruited by Pacific Gas & Electric in San Francisco, CA because of his nuclear engineering experience. He held many different positions in the Company and lived in Marin County. In 1984 Doug married Marie Gaynor, and in October 1985, his second daughter, Lisa Marie was born. There, Doug competed in triathlons.
In 1994 moved to Arroyo Grande, CA and married Annie Sproul. Doug and Annie enjoyed the times that Lisa visited and shared a passion for many outdoor activities. In 1995, Doug and Annie opened Murphy’s Custom Brewing. It was a ground breaking “do it yourself, Brew-on-Premise” microbrewery in San Diego, California. In 1998 they submitted several of their custom crafted beers at a Brewers Festival in Chicago, IL. They won several medals for their custom crafted beers, including a Gold Medal for their Oatmeal Stout recipe. Doug and Annie were married for eight years.
Doug left San Diego in 2005 to care for his mother in Daytona Shores, FL. After she passed, he made the east coast his home. In 2012, he moved to The Villages, FL to enjoy retirement in a golfing community, where he proudly drove his Naval Academy themed golf cart!
He continued his athletic lifestyle, playing golf and was a member of The Villages Aquatic Swim Team where he competed and has many medals to show for.
Doug also flew in lobster tails from Maine. He loved to cook, especially prepare “lobstah rolls”. He referred to the dining area as his “Bistro”.
Doug was also a true New Englander sports fan. He was very proud to wear his Red Sox or Patriots shoes!!! He frequented Glenview Country Club close to his home, where he enjoyed talking sports. The staff adored him for his courtesy and respect.
In 2017, Doug became friends with Becky Windle. As time evolved in the relationship, they decided to live together and cherish every moment of finding love at this stage of their lives. They became engaged in November of 2018.
Doug was diagnosed with incurable Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis December of 2017. Becky made his life as normal as possible. When he turned 70 in January, his daughter Lisa visited from California. The best gift ever! 50 of his family, friends and doctors honored him by wearing a special wrist band noting Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation.
As the disease worsened, he chose Cornerstone Hospice to help him be comfortable in his final days, and he died in the arms of his fiancée, Becky Windle. Doug requested no crying, no service and to be cremated.
Doug is survived by his daughters Shawna Murphy in New Hampshire and her mother Jill Gallant; his second daughter Lisa Murphy in Sacramento, California, her mother Marie Gaynor Murphy; his former spouse Annie Sproul; his sister Karen Casey, brother-in-law Brian Casey and sister-in-law Pat Murphy.
Doug’s father, mother, and brothers, Kent and Rev. Arthur Jr. passed before him.
A Celebration of Life will be held at his home on April 9th. It has been selected, because it is Opening Day for the Red Sox at Fenway Park. He had been planning a party for that day anyway! It is by invitation. Contact Becky Windle bsbrown.bb@gmail.com if you would like to attend.
Contribution suggestions in his honor are Cornerstone Hospice Foundation and Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation.
