Thomas "Tom" C. Murphy

Thomas C. “Tom” Murphy died on July 19th, 2013. He was born December 16, 1925 on a farm in southwest Nebraska and spent his first 12 years in Danbury, only one mile from the Kansas state line. He moved to Storm Lake, Iowa, and graduated from high school there in 1943, after which he entered the Army Air Corps during World War II. He served in France and Italy. Immediately after graduating from Nebraska University in January 1950, he joined New York Life as a Sales Agent in Storm Lake and then was promoted to Sales Manager in Wichita. After less than four years out of school where he received his B.S. in Business Administration, he was moved to New York City for Home Office training before being named General Manager in Topeka, on January 1, 1954. He was the youngest General Manager ever appointed, age 28, and served longer in the same General Office, 34 years, than any other Manager in New York Life’s 162 year history. He received his CLU degree from The American College in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania in 1956 and the CFP designation from the Financial College in Denver in 1981. Mr. Murphy was a member of the Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Topeka Inc., the National Society of CLU’s, the International Board of Certified Financial Planners, the Topeka Estate Planning council, the Topeka Country Club, Most Pure Heart of Mary Catholic Church, the Downtown Topeka Lions Club, the Cosmopolitan Club, Masonic Lodge and the NE Kansas Shriners, where he was active as a Greeter, a member of the Golfers’ Unit and the Legion of Honor. He served two terms as National Trustee for the General Agents and Managers Association and was selected as “Man of the year—Hall of Fame” in 1987 for the Kansas Association. He was on the Central Budget Committee for our local Greater Topeka United Way for 10 years, was a Past President, Lay Advisory Board of the St. Francis Hospital, and served two years as Finance Chairman for the Jayhawk Area Boy Scouts of America. Tom was Past President of Topeka Fellowship Inc., the group that puts on the Kansas Prayer Breakfast each year, and was a member of the Ichabod Club, Jayhawk Club, Kaw Valley Catbackers, Rendezvous Dance Club, Knife and Fork Club, St. Patrick’s Day Committee, Topeka Civic Theatre and local Parkinson’s Board. He retired as the New York Life Managing Partner in Topeka in April of 1988 and had been self employed as a Certified Financial Planner ever since, doing business as “Who is Tom Murphy?” He loved going to the office every day and had a passion for golf, watching sports events and playing bridge. His biggest interest was his family. He is survived by his wife, Marge, whom he met in college and married in 1948. They had 7 daughters and three sons; Erin, Tim, Pat, Mike, Sean, Pegeen, Megan, Brigid, Sheilah and Tara and 16 wonderful grandchildren. His two sisters preceded him in death. Tom was cremated and his ashes will be buried at a later date. A Memorial service will be held Saturday, July 27th at Most Pure Heart of Mary church at 11am. In place of flowers, please send your remembrances to Boys and Girls Club and The Topeka Rescue Mission in care of Kevin Brennan Family Funeral Home, 2801 SW Urish Rd., Topeka KS 66614.

Thomas "Tom" C. Murphy

December 16, 1925 - July 27, 2013