Daniel A. Murphy, 86 of Elkhorn, died Saturday Feb. 9, 2013, at Aurora Lakeland Medical Center surrounded by his loving family. He was born Sept. 27, 1926, in Chicago, the son of the late John and Anna (Addams) Murphy.
He served in the U.S. Army from 1945 until 1947, with a tour of duty in the South Pacific and occupation of Japan. He was united in marriage to Elizabeth (Liz) E. Schmidt on May 28, 1949, in Chicago. Liz died Nov. 12, 2000.
For over 20 years, he was employed as a Tool & Die Maker with Gibson Spring Co. and then Perfection Spring Co. of Des Plaines, Ill., retiring in 1978. Dan was a lifelong fan of the Chicago White Sox but ironically, he ushered at Wrigley Field for the Chicago Cubs.
He was a faithful member of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church of Elkhorn and a former member of St. Alphonsus Parish of Chicago. At St. Patrick’s he was active with the Human Concerns committee, ushering and Communion distribution. He volunteered with the Walworth County Meals on Wheels program and the Hosta reading program of Harlingen, Texas.
He was a member of the Knights of Columbus and enjoyed working at the Walworth County Fair KC’s cream puff stand. He and his wife Liz enjoyed square dancing and belonged to the Limber Timbers, Sunlighters and Travelighters Square Dancing Clubs.
Dan was very much a people person as he enjoyed working at Thelen’s Farm Stand. He was a devoted husband and a loving father and grandfather who will be truly missed by all that knew him and loved him.
He is survived by his four children, Richard (Roseann) Murphy of Carpentersville, Ill., Patricia (Edward) Kroth of Verona, Nancy Murphy of Oregon, and Kathleen (William Jr.) Kostock of Elkhorn; 10 grandchildren, Jeffrey (Kirstin) Murphy, Christopher (Mary) Murphy, Brian (Naomi) Kroth, Aaron, Sarah and Emily Kroth, Nathan (Alissa) Brooks, Logan (Nicole) Brooks, Will and Clara Kostock; six great-grandchildren, Connor, Ryan, Lillian Lynne and Finnegan Murphy, Tian and Dane Brooks.
Dan was preceded in death by his parents, his wife of 51 years, Liz, two brothers, John and Robert, and three sisters, Margaret, Eleanor and Mary.
Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 a.m. Friday Feb. 15, 2013, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, 107 W. Walworth St., Elkhorn, with the Rev. Oriol Regales officiating. Visitation will be Thursday Feb. 14, 2013, from 3-8 p.m. with a Vigil service at 7:45 p.m. at Haase-Lockwood & Associates Funeral Home and Crematory, 730 N. Wisconsin St., Elkhorn.
An online guest registry is available at www.haaselockwoodfhs.com.
