In Loving Remembrance of

Clarence Eugene Murphy "Murph"

Happy Birthday! It has been since January 14, 2007, that I haven't seen your sparkling eyes

and wonderful smile, a smile that you had for

everyone. It broke my heart to lose you and I miss your practical jokes, with your wit and Irish humor, that made everyone laugh. Never a dull moment!

I am so proud of your many accomplishments,

beginning with your enlistment in 1945 to the U.S. Navy on board the ship USS Fond du Lac, stationed in the Pacific Rim. You were honorably discharged

at the end of WWII in 1946, and that's when I was lucky to have met you at Dance Land. Two years

later we would be married, in 1948, and this year we would have celebrated 68 years of marriage!

In those early years of marriage you had many jobs but finally found your calling as an electrician,

becoming a licensed journeyman in 1953. After stints with several electrical companies you took root at Paulson Electric, worked there for 35 years as cost estimator and foreman, and retired at

62 years of age in 1989.

Then the fun began! I knew how much you loved cars. You were always on the lookout for old cars

to restore and ended up restoring 15 in all, making them into cars of beauty. We would take them for rides and everyone would enjoy looking at us. That was fun! I always knew you were mechanically

inclined; this fact was backed up by your school

notebook from West Branch Schools. Sometimes you would call for me as you needed a "third" hand with something. On your very first restoration, a 1936 Ford convertible, you won a trophy at the

Early Ford Parts car show in Walker, IA. I was so proud! Our daughter, Susan, who came to live with us at two weeks old, said that her Dad could do

anything, that he was a "jack-of-all-trades". It was commented by many that Susan learned much

about cars from her dad and was like a son to him

in that way.

Clarence loved life to the fullest and got to do

many things after retirement that he was longing to do. He loved to go fishing. We took many trips to Minnesota and Canada. He loved to hunt, garden, and go mushroom hunting. I have many happy

memories of spending time at the cabin he built

on the Cedar River just south of Lisbon near the Sutliff Bridge. He also got to be a farmer on our

acreage just north of Midway in his "spare time."

I will think of you always, my dear, and hope to

see you again with the help of God.

- Your loving wife,

Bonnie Lou Murphy