Joseph Francis Murphy 1921-1963 (52 Ancestors #43)

This week’s challenge was “Oops”.  My grand-uncle Joe was certainly an “oops” for my great-grandparents!  Joseph Francis Murphy was born on the 6^th of March in 1921 in Peoria, Illinois to Edward R. and Kathryn Hanauer Murphy.  When Joe was born, his sister, Gen was eighteen years old, and his brother, Eddie, was fifteen years old!   

Joe attended St. Mark’s Grade School in Peoria, Illinois.  He was remembered as an “odd” child.  The family home burned down when Joe was around eleven or twelve years old and it was never proven, but widely believed that Joe had started the fire. 

Joe graduated from Peoria High School in 1939 and then went on to graduate from the Engineering School at the University of Illinois, where he was affiliated with Kappa Delta Rho fraternity.

Joe served in the Army Air Corp during World War II. Records
obtained Records obtained from the National Archives and Records Administration state that Joe "served in the Army of the United States from Sept. 19, 1942 to Sept. 26, 1943.  This was his enlisted service......Honorable Discharge to accept a commission.......Separation from service 9-26-43 was at Yale University, New Haven, CT."  They did not include records of his service as an officer, stating "We would need more information to search alternate sources for his service as an officer."  It is known from letters that he was serving in Cairo, Egypt in 1944.

Upon return from the War, Joe was engaged to marry a woman named Martha, but she broke off the engagement, and he married Catherine Freeman in Granite City, Illinois on the 29th of May in 1948.  Joe was employed as a sales engineer for White-Rogers Co. at that time and he and Cathy lived in Chicago for about two years, then moved to Indianapolis, Indiana.

Apparently, Joe and Cathy were unable to have children.  They adopted four children.

In August of 1963, Joe’s mother died.  Joe died that October (1963).  He was only forty-two years old.  He was buried in Holy Cross Cemetery in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Joe's wife Cathy died in 2004.