Michael B. Murphy, 61

Michael B. Murphy, 61, passed away at his Naples, Idaho, home on Dec. 23, 2010.  

A memorial service will take place at a later date.

Michael was born on Dec. 27, 1948, to Edward and Agnes Murphy in Bayside, Queens, New York. He was the ninth of 10 children.

The family later moved to Islip Terrace in Long Island, N.Y., where he grew up and spent his early adulthood. He got married in 1968 to Lynn Guthke and had a son Christopher John born Aug. 26, 1973. To his disappointment, he did not get to share his son’s life.

In the mid seventies he came out west hitch hiking in search of a better place to live. He stayed in different places until he found Sandpoint in the early 1980s, where he lived for a few years around the lake. In 1983 he decided to move to Naples where he would spend the rest of his life.

In 1999 he met his soul mate Ingrid, with whom he was happily married until his sudden and unexpected death, just five days before his 62nd birthday.

Mike has been banging nails his whole life which made him a master carpenter who could build and fix anything. His passion was growing garlic. He so enjoyed giving garlic to most everybody he encountered.

Survivors include his loving wife, his son and the big Murphy clan from the east coast with two aunts, one brother, four sisters and many nieces and nephews and all their families.

He is preceded in death by his parents, three brothers and one sister.