Joseph Allison Murphy, III, beloved husband of Carlene Usry Murphy, went to be with his Lord and Savior on October 8, 2014.
A celebration of life service will be on Saturday, October 11, 2014 at 11:00 a.m. at Reid Memorial Presbyterian Church at 2261 Walton Way with Dr. Matt Rich officiating. Family will receive friends at 10:00 at the church before the service. Burial will immediately follow at Westover Memorial Park.
On April Fool’s Day 1931, Dr. Murphy was born in Celeste, Texas, leaving there when he was only six months old to live in Stearns, KY. His parents, Joseph, II and Ruth Murphy, were graduates of Centre College in Danville, KY where his father played football on the famous 1921 national college championship team. Stearns, a small town owned by the Stearns Coal and Lumber Company, was a unique community in which to grow-up. Joe, III, was an Eagle Scout and his father was awarded the Silver Beaver, the highest honor given to a volunteer Scout leader. After graduating from Western Kentucky University, he served two years in the army. From the army, he moved to Atlanta where he was employed by the DeKalb County School System. He earned a Masters Degree at Emory University in 1964 and a doctorate at University of Georgia in 1966. During the 25 years he worked for DeKalb County, he was a teacher, a principal for thirteen years, an instructional coordinator and director of staff development as well as director of special projects. One of the projects he directed for the state of Georgia was the development of a set of instruments and procedures for the assessment of new teachers for certification purposes. After meeting his wife, Carlene, in 1977, he moved to Augusta, driving daily to DeKalb County. In 1981, Dr. Murphy was hired by Augusta State University to develop a Masters (5-year) and Education Specialist (6-year) degree programs in educational administration and supervision. This he did. In 1986, he served as chairman of the committee that successfully regained NCATES accreditation for the School of Education. He also brought Georgia State University professors to ASU to offer a doctorate in education. Many school and district administrators in Richmond and Columbia Counties in the 1980s and 1990s have said that they owe their professional advancements to Joe Murphy. When his students asked for advice and assistance, he always found a way to be helpful. As a former public school educator, he wanted to stay active in public schools and never refused an invitation to serve on committees or accept other responsibilities in the school districts in the area. He and his wife, a district administrator in Richmond County Schools, were professional partners and always supported each other’s work. She says that she owes him for her successes because he was always willing to assist her regardless of the task. He retired in 1993 after serving as Professor, Acting Dean and Dean of the School of Education at Augusta State University.
His wife shares, “He was the most honorable man. He truly lived by the Golden Rule. I never heard him speak unkindly of anyone or to criticize another’s actions. He marveled at the beauty and wonder in all God’s creations. His humility often hid his exceptional qualities. He was completely selfless.”
Dr. Murphy is survived by his wife, Carlene; daughters, Katy Sealy of Sealy, TX, and Toni Carrington Cimmet (Brian) of Syracuse, NY; sons, Douglas Murphy and Dennis Murphy of Atlanta; step-daughter, Laura Wilson of Augusta; step-son, Douglas Brown of Augusta; sister, Barbara Sweeney of Ft. Walton Beach, FL.; six grandsons, three granddaughters and two great-grandchildren. He is a member of Reid Memorial Presbyterian Church.
Pallbearers will be grandsons Sam Sealy, Simon Sealy, Joshua Brown and Zack Hutto as well as Randy Boone and Bruce Brown.
Memorial contributions may be made to Alzheimer’s Association, 106 SRP Drive, Evans, GA, 30809 or Reid Memorial Presbyterian Church, 2261 Walton Way, Augusta, 30904.