Blaine G. Murphy ’63 died on May 12, 2020 in Avon, Connecticut.      

(The following appeared in the Hartford Courant on May 14, 2020)

Blaine Gregory Murphy, 79, died peacefully at home on May 12, 2020, surrounded by loving family members and supported by friends and family across the country. He was pre-deceased by his father, Paul, and his mother, Ardelle, and is survived by his devoted wife, Sidney (“Tinker”); his sons, Sean and Greg; daughter-in-law, A.J.; son-in-law, See-Ming; his perfect grandchildren, Jake, Jamie, Ben and Devon; his brother, Paul, and his wife, Mary Jo; his brothers-in-law, Don and Rick, and their wives, Sue and Linnea; his beloved nieces and nephews, Ann, Karen, Kelly, Paul, Dan, Jennie, and Mike and their families; and by countless friends and family members.

Blaine was born and raised in Maine, and attended Bowdoin College before moving to Boston, where he met his best friend and wife, Tinker. He made such a strong impression on their first date that she forgot his name before the second. He recovered gracefully and they built a wonderful life together with their family for more than fifty years, in Massachusetts and in Avon, Connecticut. Those who met him earlier in life knew a warm, smart, stubborn, humble and reserved New Englander whose eyebrow would rise slightly when he made a wickedly funny comment under his breath. Those who met him after he suffered a stroke knew a grateful, thoughtful and determined family man who emerged even stronger despite his physical impairments, who loved nothing more than eating a lobster roll while looking at the ocean, and who ended his phone calls with the words, “as always, I love you.”

The Murphy family would like to express their deep gratitude to all the friends, family and caregivers who loved and supported Blaine – and especially to the nurses, therapists, staff and doctors at McLean in Simsbury who helped give him the life he wanted.