William Murphy Jr.

Niantic — William Patrick Murphy Jr. of Oak Grove Beach, Niantic and formerly of Stoneham, Mass., passed peacefully on Dec. 1, 2018.

Born Nov. 12, 1925 in Norwich, he was the son of William Patrick Murphy and Lillian Letitia McClafferty. In 1943 he graduated from Norwich Free Academy where he had a stellar career as an athlete, participating on victorious teams in cross-country, basketball and baseball. He was one of five living alumni of the undefeated 1942 baseball team who were honored by NFA at a 75th reunion ceremony in 2017. He attended the United States Coast Guard Academy and in World War II served in the Coast Guard on the East Coast. After his service, he graduated from UConn with a major in accounting and was a member of the varsity cross-country team.

In 1949 he married Joan Marilyn Bennett, also of Norwich, at Thomas Aquinas Church in Storrs. Always deeply committed to education and youth sports, he began his long career in 1953 as a teacher at Norwalk High School, where he also successfully coached cross-country and basketball teams. In 1960 he began his storied tenure with Stoneham (Mass.) Public Schools. He taught, coached the high school basketball and cross-country teams, and eventually took on roles in administration. After helping thousands of students pursue their dreams, he retired as Director of Guidance in 2001, and was honored with the Crystal Apple Award. Bill and Joan then moved to Niantic where they enjoyed membership in the Niantic Bay Yacht Club, a cornerstone of Joan’s family history. Joan passed away in November of 2016. Bill was a devoted lifelong fan of the Boston Celtics and the Red Sox, and relished the Sox’s 2018 World Series win.

He is survived by their children: Tim Murphy and his wife Jeanne of North Carolina; Thene McIntire and her husband, Greg; Jan Petersen and her husband, Allen; and Meghan Nagle and her husband, Marty, all of Connecticut. He and Joan had eight grandchildren: Kate, Tim, and Bryce McIntire; Cora, Molly, and Bridget Nagle; and Erik and Abby Petersen; as well as nine great-grandchildren.

Following a private burial on Saturday, Dec. 8, friends and family are invited to the Niantic Bay Yacht Club, 8 Shore Road, at 2 p.m. for an informal memorial gathering. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Murphy Family Scholarship, Stoneham High School, 149 Franklin Street, Stoneham, MA 02180.