Murphy, Charles O.

Charles O. Murphy, 92, of Waukon, died Monday, Jan. 3, 2011, at Good Samaritan Center in Waukon. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 6, at St. Patrick Catholic Church, Waukon, with Father Joseph Schneider officiating. Burial, with military rites, will be at St. Mary's Hanover Cemetery, Waukon. Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Martin Funeral Home in Waukon, where there will be a 4 p.m. Scripture service.

Charles Oliver Murphy was born Oct. 22, 1918, in Easton, Md., the son of Oliver Clayton and Alice Minnie (Noble) Murphy. He was baptized and confirmed in Easton and graduated from Easton High School. Six weeks after finishing school he joined the U.S. Navy, where he served from June 1936 until October 1941. After the start of World War II, he served another tour from 1942 until 1945. He was a chief pharmacist's mate and took his training at San Diego and served for a time in the hospital at Marer Island, Calif. His service at sea included time on the USS Yorktown, USS Saratoga, USS Lexington and the YMS 346 mine sweeper. He was stationed for a time in Pearl Harbor and then transferred to the Atlantic Fleet and was present at the Normandy Invasion. Shore duty included time spent at the National Naval Hospital in Bethesda, Md., and the Naval Hospital in Jacksonville, Fla.

He met Anita Bridget Byrnes while in the Navy in California and they were married on Sept. 10, 1941, in Port Deposit, Md., where he also worked in a shipyard for a time after his discharge. He also worked in Bethesda, Md., and for Maurice E. Newman & Sons Funeral Home in Easton, Md., for two years before moving to Waukon in 1947, where he had lived ever since. In Waukon, Charles worked for Waukon Lumber Co., Handy's Service Station, City Club and with Anita operating concession stands at the fairgrounds during stock car races. His main occupation was as a maintenance operator for the Iowa State Highway Commission, which he did for 30 years before retiring in 1981.

Charles was an active member at St. Patrick's Catholic Church where he served as usher for many years. He was a member and past commander of the local VFW and participated in many military funeral details, a member of the KCs, and the Shamrock Club in La Crosse, Wis. He was an accomplished woodworker and enjoyed spending time with Anita going dancing, playing cards and traveling.

Survivors include three sons, Charles (Virginia) of Cedar Rapids, Larry (Alice) of Belton, Mo., and Brian (Sue) of Rossville; two daughters, Anita “Dolly” (Gary) Ward of Denver, and Cindy (Rick) Reinhardt of Waukon; 12 grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Anita; an infant brother; a sister; and a brother, Elwood.

Casketbears are Mark, Kelly, Marty, Mike, Pat, Shawn, Lance and Ryan Murphy, Lori Wallace and Steve, Kevin and David Reinhardt.

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