COLUMBIA — Steven Murphy of Columbia died Thursday, Dec. 29, 2011. He was 86.
Mr. Murphy was born Dec. 5, 1925, in St. Cloud, Minn. After serving in the U.S. Merchant Marines during World War II, he received his bachelor's degree from the University of Chicago; master of divinity degree from the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago; master of arts from Northern Illinois University in DeKalb; and doctorate from MU.
Mr. Murphy canoed, camped and hiked throughout Missouri, northern Minnesota and the American West with his wife, son and German Shepherd. His professions ranged from piano salesman with his father's Murphy Music Company — the oldest piano store in Minnesota — to researcher, pastor and teacher.
Mr. Murphy is survived by his wife of 48 years, Jan Murphy, of Columbia; his son, Patrick, a graduate student at the University of Notre Dame; his daughter, Susan, of Copenhagen, Denmark; two grandchildren, Mikkel and Marie, and one great-grandchild, Kalle, also of Denmark.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 18, at Olivet Christian Church, 1991 S. Olivet Road in Columbia.
Memorial contributions can be made to the Central Missouri Humane Society or the Sierra Club.