Loved to sail, golf, and host Christmas and birthday parties with his large family

NORTH READING — Patrick D. Murphy, of North Reading, formerly of Acton and Winchester, passed away unexpectedly on Friday, November 8, 2024. He was 94 years of age.

Born in London, England, he was the son of the late Dr. Denis Vincent Murphy, and the late Hilda Florence (Wells) Murphy. He and his late sister Kathleen M. Murphy grew up in pre-war London. Patrick came to the U.S. during WWII and continued his education in the Boston area and graduated from Northeastern University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in June of 1953. Patrick was the husband of the late Carol (Lambert) Murphy, and the late Joan (Gillis) Murphy.

Mr. Murphy was a U.S. Army veteran of the Korean War.  He began his career with The Boston Globe, and later working for the Harold Cabot & Co. Advertising Agency in Boston. After operating his own advertising agency for a time, Patrick went to work for Digital Equipment Corporation as a copywriter at the Maynard location. After officially retiring from Digital, Patrick continued to work for them as a consultant.

Patrick kept an active life. He had a deep love for sailing and enjoyed taking his children and grandchildren sailing around the North Shore area. Later, at the age of 70, he took up golf and enjoyed playing up until the time of his passing, weekly rounds with friends and family.

His deepest love was his family and the time he spent with his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Over the years he could be found on sport fields watching his grandchildren and then his great-grandchildren. His birthday was an annual event he would celebrate with the entire family and the event grew year by year. He also hosted an annual Christmas party to gather the family and, dressed as Santa, would have a gift for all the great-grandchildren.

Patrick was preceded in death by his first wife, Carol (Lambert) Murphy who passed away in 1991; and his second wife, Joan (Gillis) Murphy who passed away in 2014. He is survived by his six children: Denis Murphy and his wife Ann of Winchester, N.H., Patty DiBlasi and her husband John of Lynnfield, Kathy Baumer and her husband Jack of Holliston, John Murphy and his wife Lorraine of North Reading, Patrick Murphy and his wife Robin of Haverhill, and Kerry Dempsey and her husband Tom of Tewksbury. He was the grandfather of 14 grandchildren: Bridget Pearce and her husband Mark of Castle Hill, Maine, Kevin Murphy and his wife Kristen of Merrimack, N.H., Tricia Ricker and her husband David of Lancaster, N.H., Denis Murphy and his wife Marissa of Winchester, N.H., Mike DiBlasi and his wife Crystal of Danvers, Joe DiBlasi and his wife Missy of Lynnfield, Lindsey Baumer of Hopkinton, Courtney Tufts and her husband Brian of Wrentham, Haley McKenna and her husband Chris of Westborough, Katie Moulison and her husband Mike of North Reading, Thomas Murphy of Brooklyn, N.Y., Scott Murphy of Haverhill, Patrick Dempsey and his wife Jen Wong of Merrimack, N.H., and David Dempsey of Tewksbury. And he was the great-grandfather of 16 great-grandchildren: Andrew, Rick, Maggie and Sarah Pearce, Colin, Megan, Aiden, and Liam Murphy, Sean and Henry DiBlasi, Jackie, Carolyn, and Allison Hayes, Matt and Casey Tufts, and Casey Moulison.

Patrick is also survived by his late wife Joan’s children: Susan Sartori and her husband Tom of Northborough, Scott Blair and his wife June, and Reid Blair and his wife Marybeth; as well as her five grandchildren, Lis Sartori of Arlington, Mark Sartori and his wife Caroline of Boston, Laura Sartori and her spouse Julia Moon of Philadelphia, and Chole and Megan Blair of Reunion, Florida.

Visiting hours will be held at the Douglass, Edgerley & Bessom Funeral Home, 25 Sanborn St., (corner of Woburn St.) Reading on Thursday, November 14 from 4-7 p.m.  The funeral will be held from the funeral home on Friday, November 15 at 9:30 a.m., followed by a funeral Mass at St. Theresa’s Church, 63 Winter St., North Reading at 10:30 a.m. Burial will be private.

Contributions in Patrick’s memory may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, 320 Nevada Street, Suite 201, Newton, MA 02460 (www.alz.org).