Dr. Patrick J. Murphy

Dr. Patrick J. Murphy, 86, died Saturday, March 21st, 2015, at Clare Bridge in La Crosse, surrounded by his loving family and joined his wife Patricia in heaven on what would have been her 86th birthday.

Patrick was born to Joseph and Genevieve (McDonald) Murphy on August 16th, 1928, in Marshfield, Wisconsin.  He graduated from Aquinas High School in 1946, attended St. Norbert College, and graduated from Marquette University School of Dentistry in 1953.  He married his high school sweetheart, Patricia (Larkin) Murphy, in 1952.  They spent two years in El Paso, TX where he served in the Dental Corps of the United States Air Force.  They returned to the La Crosse area where they celebrated 54 years of marriage while raising eight children.  Patrick practiced dentistry in La Crosse for 38 years, retiring in 1991.

`Murph` was intensely proud of and celebrated his Irish Heritage.  He enjoyed his annual family trips to the Manitowish Waters chain of lakes where he passionately pursued trophy musky.  He was involved in the annual Midwest Banjo Festival for several years both emceeing and playing his beloved banjo.  He was a longtime member of the La Crosse Country Club.

Patrick is survived by his children, Kathy (Joseph) Rademacher of Tucson, AZ; Tim (Myrna) Murphy of Lakeland, FL; Sheila (Michael) Durand of La Crosse; Ellen Murphy of Chicago, IL; Jeff Murphy of Eau Claire, Sue (Doug) Bartel of Woodbury, MN; Mary Pat (Jon) Nydahl of Chaska, MN and Jane Murphy of Austin, TX; nine grandchildren, Sara (Kyle) Sucher; Kyle (Emily) Murphy; Jenna (Patrick) Johnston; Megan (Dave) Drohomyreckyj; Tom Durand; Erin, Kelly and Evan Nydahl; and Ava Bartel; and three great grandchildren, Connor Joseph Johnston, Kyle Fitzpatrick Murphy and Brendan Robert Sucher.

He was preceded in death by his wife Patricia on March 28, 2007; his granddaughter Michelle Jean Durand; his parents; his sisters Sheila Hill and Mary Kay Weipert; his brothers-in-law Kevin Hill, William Paul and Cletus Weipert; and his sisters-in-law Mary Murphy and Carol Paul.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 AM on Monday, April 6, 2015, at Holy Trinity Catholic Church 1333 S. 13th St., La Crosse.  The Rev. Rick Roberts will officiate, with entombment immediately following Mass in St. Francis of Assisi Mausoleum at the Catholic Cemetery in La Crosse.  Visitation will be held at the church from 9:00 AM until the time of Mass on Monday.

The family would like to express their gratitude to Dr. Thomas Cunningham, Marla Cunningham and Jessica Lapic along with the entire Clare Bridge staff for their exceptional care of Patrick, who they affectionately called “Doc”.

In lieu of flowers, memorials to the Aquinas Patricia M. Murphy Excellence in Nursing Scholarship or a personal fund of your choice are requested.