Michael Murphy, of Waldoboro, passed away on Feb. 22 in Camden. He was born in Holyoke, Mass., the son of Rene George Murphy and Matilda Dorwart Murphy. He was educated in the Holyoke public schools, graduating from Holyoke High in 1940.
In 1958 he married Maria Kraus of Secaucus, N.J.
He attended Concordia College, received his B.A. from Concordia Lutheran Seminary, B.S. from Westfield Massachusetts State College, and M.A. from Western Michigan University. He was a high school mathematics teacher in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Maine for 41 years, 19 of them as chairman of the department. Twelve of those years were at Bonnie Eagle High School and three at Georges Valley.
Upon retirement from the public school system, he began teaching math at the Thomaston Center of the University of Maine at Augusta where he has been teaching for the past 11 years. He taught in the Adult Education Division of S.A.D. 5 and also at Camden.
In 1974 he began a series of four terms as an Interim Pastor of Lutheran Churches in Falmouth, Cape Elizabeth, Westbrook, and Windham. Following these, he became a regular pastor of the East Baldwin Congregational Church and the West Gorham Union Church.
Upon moving to Waldoboro in 1986, he became Pastor and organist of the newly re-opened Bremen Union Church. It was this church that he was ordained into the ministry in 1992 by Pastor Barbara S. Teele. That same year he became pastor and organist of the West Waldoboro Community Church.
A self-taught musician, his first position as a church organist came at the age of 18 when he played for two years at the Lutheran Inner Mission in New York City. Thereafter he was organist and choir director at many churches in New England. In recent years he gave several Pop Concerts on the organ as benefits for various churches and organizations.
For five years, along with his teaching and organ playing, he worked in the youth department of the Bridgeport and Trumbull, Conn. YMCAs. He later served on the board of the Torrington, Conn. YMCA.
During his years as a high school teacher, he was advisor to many groups: Student Council, Chess Club, Ping Pong Team, Math Team, and Bicycle Club.
Celebration of life 1 p.m., Tues., March 12 at the Water of Life Lutheran Church, Rt. 1, Newcastle, with Pastor Carolyn Neighoff officiating.
You are invited to share your condolences, memories, and photos with the family by visiting their Book of Memories at www.hallfuneralhomes.com.
Arrangements are entrusted to Hall Funeral Home, 949 Main St., Waldoboro.
