Richard Raymond Murphy
9/15/36- 10/17/25

In the soft light of an October evening, we say goodbye to Richard Murphy, who passed from this world at age 89, surrounded by his family at Parc Provence in Creve Coeur, Missouri.

Richard Raymond Murphy was born on September 15, 1936, to Raymond Murphy and Mary McKeon. He was educated at Saint George's Christian Brothers Catholic High School in Evanston, Illinois, where he graduated with honors and ran track, before attending Saint Mary's College in Winona, Minnesota.

After completing his military service at Fort Leonard Wood and in San Antonio, Texas—where his first child, Mary, was born—he began his publishing career as an editor at McGraw Hill. Soon after, he shifted to sales with Houghton Mifflin in Appleton, Wisconsin. The yard flooded each winter, and it was there his son, John, first learned to ice skate. When a position opened in St. Louis, he took it, and ultimately built a respected and successful career in educational publishing, serving as president of the Missouri Textbook Association and becoming a trusted partner to teachers and school leaders across the region.

Beyond his professional life, Richard found joy in simple and steady rhythms. On the green at Franklin County Country Club, he'd tee up with a gentle grin, the sun catching the rim of his Irish Flat Cap. In his garden, he planted not only tomatoes, but conversations, lessons, and laughter. On quiet mornings, you might hear him on the phone with the Missouri Botanical Garden. He golfed, cut his own grass, and tended to his garden well into his 80s.

With his grandchildren, he carried joy: Wimpy's cheeseburgers, fries, stories, and the ritual of a shared meal. In that Styrofoam cup, raised with his sons-in-law, he toasted his simple love of being together.

But above all, he loved his family. He met his wife, Ellen, in Winona in 1958, and they were married on December 28, 1959. He adored his children—Mary Murphy; John Murphy; Anne Shaff (Victor); and Elizabeth Mosby (John)—and his grandchildren: Lauren Baker (Daniel), Nicholas (Karla), Sarah, James Mitchell, Theresa, and Margaret Anne ("Molly"). He was also blessed with great-grandchildren Gray, Hayden, Oliver, and Violet.

Richard's legacy blooms quietly around us: in the green of a tomato vine, in the margin of a much-loved book, in the echo of a well-timed joke, and in every child who opens a book with curiosity. He leaves us with what he cherished: the spirit of inquiry, kindness, community, connection.

Richard believed deeply that every child deserved to learn to read—that literacy was a foundation for dignity, opportunity, and a meaningful life. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly asks that donations be made to Ready Readers (St. Louis)—a local organization devoted to giving young children books, fostering a love of reading, and building home libraries.

To celebrate his life, please join us for 10am Mass on November 29, 2025 at St Monica Catholic Church in Creve Coeur. Luncheon following at the MAC West.

Goodbye, Dad. Goodbye, Grandpa. We love you.

Ortmann Stipanovich Funeral Home
www.osfuneralhomes.com