Gerald A. Murphy

Gerald A. Murphy, age 88, Watertown, died at his home in Watertown on Monday afternoon, October 5, 2009. Private family services will be held on Thursday at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church at Watertown with the Reverend Keith Peterson officiating. Burial will be private and at a later date in the Mount Hope Cemetery at Watertown. There will be no visitation. The Furness Funeral Home of Clark is serving the family. He was born at Wallace, SD on October 31, 1920, the son of William and Lela (Denny) Murphy. He grew to adulthood in the Wallace area attending country school near Wallace. In 1941 he entered the United States Navy and served his country until November of 1945. Upon his return to the Wallace area, he married Erma Hvidhyld at Florence. The couple lived on Lake Kampeska until 1993 when they traveled the United States camping full time until June of 2001. During his lifetime he worked for several trucking firms in the area before he started at Dakota Granite of Milbank where he also trucked for over 25 years. He was a member of the Bethlehem Lutheran Church at Watertown. Gerald will long be remembered for his love of fishing and hunting, second to none though was dancing. Preceding him in death were his parents and 7 siblings, Margaret and Lela, Don, Bill, Richard, Denny and Jim. Grateful for having shared in his life is his wife of over 63 years, Erma of Watertown, a son, Randy (Debbie) Murphy of Baltic, SD and a daughter, Connie (David) Meesberg of Watertown, 5 grandchildren, 2 step grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. He also leaves siblings, Harold (Arlene) Murphy of Watertown, SD, Wayne (Karen) Murphy of Vermillion, MN, Marcella (LeRoy) Baker of Fredericktown, Missouri and Hazel (Frederick Fox) Johnson of San Diego, CA. . Email condolences at www.furnessfuneralhome.com Arrangements are with the Furness Funeral Home at Clark where you can email a condolence at www.furnessfuneralhome.com