NORWALK—Deacon William Owen Murphy, a retired deacon of St. Joseph Parish in South Norwalk, passed away peacefully at his home in Norwalk on October 6 at the age of 82.
He was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., on November 18, 1934, and attended Brooklyn Prep, College of the Holy Cross and Columbia University Law School. He served on active duty with the U.S. Air Force in Germany 1961-1962.
He was hired by Simpson Thacher & Bartlett in 1960 and spent 35 years at the firm, 25 as partner. He served on the Banking Law Committee of the Bar Association and in the course of his career he worked on the restructuring of the debt of Yugoslavia and the Philippines, among other issues. He retired from the firm in December 1994 and was ordained a deacon by Bishop Edward M. Egan on July 8, 1995.
Following his ordination, he graduated from Yale Divinity School with a master’s of divinity degree. He was active in the ministry at St. Joseph’s for 22 years, and served his community as well as his parish. At various times, Deacon Murphy served as chair of the Norwalk Board of Education, chair of the board of Family and Children’s Agency, a board member of an anti-poverty agency, a homeless shelter, two charter revision commissions and the Side By Side Charter School. He also served on the Board of Trustees of the New Canaan Country School and on the Board of Consultants of Portsmouth Abbey School.
Deacon Murphy is survived by his wife of 52 years, Barbara, and his sons Bill of New York, and Jim and his wife Jenny of Darien, as well as five grandchildren.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated for Deacon Murphy on Saturday, October 14, at 10 am at St. Joseph Church. Msgr. Thomas Powers, vicar general of the Diocese of Bridgeport, was the principal celebrant. Father Peter Lenox, administrator of St. Joseph, will be the homilist.
Interment will follow at St. John’s and St. Mary’s Cemetery in Norwalk.
The Murphy family has requested in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Joseph Parish.
