IN MEMORIAM:  John H. Murphy, 68;

Retired Sergeant Died In Job Accident

ONEONTA – John H. Murphy, 68, of Oneonta, a retired Army staff sergeant, died Thursday, Feb. 4, 2016, in an accident at the Stericycle plant on Lower River Street.   Calling hours and the funeral will be tomorrow.

He was born June 5, 1947, in Oneonta the son of the late John H. and Ruby (Jenkins) Murphy.
John grew up in the 6th Ward and graduated from Oneonta High School, Class of 1964.

He proudly served in the Army, first from 1966 to 1969, then from 1971 to 1988 when he retired as a staff sergeant from Fort Drum.

On June 16, 1973, John married Dorothy Oller in Oneonta. They had met while John was stationed at Fort Knox, Kentucky.

After his retirement from the Army in 1988, John began driving truck for Vets Sanitation, which later became Stericycle.

John loved his dogs, listening to country music and especially spending time with his grandchildren.
Survivors include his beloved wife, Dorothy Murphy of Oneonta; four children, Melissa Woodcock and her husband, Shannon of Ruskin, Fla., Michael Murphy and his wife, Abby of Bowling Green, Ky., Kathleen Murphy of Oneonta and Colleen Rhine of Baltimore, Md.; eight grandchildren,Patrick, Ryan, Kathleen and James Woodcock, Jhett Murphy, Aidan Murphy and Jax Milian, and Alyssa Rhine; as well as numerous cousins.

Calling hours will be 2-4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 7, in the Bookhout Funeral Home. Funeral services will immediately follow, with the Rev. Mel Farmer, retired River Street Baptist Church pastor, officiating. Burial will be at the Kentucky Veterans Cemetery Central in Fort Knox at a later date.

Memorial donations may be made to the Susquehanna SPCA, 4845 State Highway 28, Cooperstown, New York 13326, in loving memory of John H. Murphy.

Light a candle or send an online condolence please at www.bookhoutfuneralhome.com
Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Bookhout Funeral Home.