David Frank Murphy

David Frank Murphy was born in Gloucester, Massachusetts to William Ivo Murphy and Anne Catherine MacEachern on November 23, 1938.

He is preceded in death by his sister Jane, and his brothers Don and Bill.

A graduate of University of Massachusetts and an army corpsman, David built a life for himself after a childhood in Gloucester that included loss. He became a father with the birth of his first child Robin (Banks). As a part of his employment with Honeywell they relocated several times along the east coast before work brought him to California.

During the time that David lived in California, a foundational change occurred and he was given the grace of a sober life. That sober community became a lifelong circle of incredible friends. In sobriety, David completed a masters degree in history from Loyola Marymount and pivoted to a new career in hospitality and management. This brought him to Seattle, Washington, and the Pacific Northwest became his home from 1978 onward.

David became a father to two more children, his daughter Sarah (Jurado) and his son Michael. His career evolved from hospitality as General Manager at Glendale Country Club to working in assisted living at the Narrows Glen in Tacoma, Washington. He made the hours long commute from Bellevue to Tacoma every day without complaint, and genuinely adored the residents who lived there. He eventually became Area Executive Director and traveled throughout the western US for work.

Despite commitments to family and work, David was deeply connected to his sober community and the friends he loved like family. He loved the practice of Centering Prayer and the work of Father Thomas Keating. He studied with Contemplative Outreach and attended their Snowmass retreats. David and his wife Sandy became engaged parishioners at St James cathedral. Within the church, helped serve with the Welcome Back program to support non practicing Catholics on their journey back to the church. Despite so many interests and commitments he was always present and loving for the person right in front of him.

David’s career culminated in the work he loved the most, serving as House Manager for the Arrupe Jesuit Residence at Seattle University. While working there he obtained a second masters degree in Theology, and took great joy in those studies. He had enormous respect and love for the Jesuits, and worked for Arrupe until he was 79 years old. Even after “retirement” he still worked for the Roy Street community until the young age of 82.

A former hospice volunteer, his family was grateful for the care David received from Evergreen Hospice in his final weeks. David loved the home he had established and never wanted to leave. Through the support of hospice and the care of his family, he left this world peacefully on January 13, 2025 with his beloved wife Sandy at his bedside. She sang him hymns as he was welcomed home to the Lord.

Each of us will remember David in our own way: as husband, as father, as sponsor, as friend, as the person circumambulating his beloved “Blueberry” (Larsen) Lake. Each one of us got our own experience of his presence and humor and gentle kindness.

He shared this poem with so many people over the years, and reflected it back to himself over and over. We share it here once again in his memory.

Do not worry. Do not fear.
All is well.
I love you. God loves you.
Nothing is expected of you.
You’re right on the path.
Keep going; do not stop.
It’s all happening
just the way it is supposed to,
even if it’s not clear to you.
The universe is unfolding as it should.
All is well.

A funeral mass will be held for David at St James Cathedral on January 27, 2025 at 12:10 pm, with a graveside service to follow immediately after at Evergreen Washelli.