Stephen P. Murphy

Stephen P. Murphy, 85, of Denver, passed away September 20 of complications from Alzheimer's disease. He was born October 17, 1926, in Brooklyn, New York. Because he was blind, he attended the New York Institute for the Education of the Blind through elementary and high school. At age 18 he was among the first cornea transplants in the United States. He had slight vision then but remained legally blind while he earned a Bachelor's Degree in English and History from Missouri Valley College in Marshall, Mo., a Master's Degree in Political Science and Journalism from the University of Kansas and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Missouri at Kansas City. He was a member of Sigma Nu Fraternity. Stephen also was a reporter at the Kansas City Star newspaper before working from 1964 to 1993 for Yellow Freight System in Overland Park, a nationwide trucking company. He negotiated the purchase of companies, made labor deals and rose to the position of Senior Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel. He later moved to Washington D.C. where he lobbied for Yellow Freight and others. He married Betty Murray in 1962 and the couple moved to Denver after his retirement in 1995. In 1980, President Jimmy Carter appointed him to the Motor Carrier Ratemaking Study Commission, where he served with Senators Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts and Robert Packwood of Oregon. Survivors include: his wife of 50 years, Betty Murphy of Denver; son Robert Murphy of Independence, Mo.; daughter-in-law Ann M. Murphy, of Independence, Mo.; son F. Douglas Murphy of San Jose, Calif.; grandsons Paul Joseph Murphy, 12, John David Murphy, 10 and Collin Stephen Murphy, 8, all of Independence, Mo.; and sister Eileen O'Brien of Milford, Pa. A Memorial Mass for Stephen P. Murphy will be at 11:30 a.m. on Monday, October 1 at Most Precious Blood Catholic Church, 2250 S. Harrison, Denver, Colorado. In lieu of flowers, donations are suggested to the New York Institute for Special Education at 999 Pelham Parkway, Bronx, NY., 10469, www.NYISE.org; or to the Sisters of Loretto, 4000 S. Wadsworth Blvd., Littleton, CO, 80123.