Donald Erwin Murphy passed away peacefully in Grande Prairie, on Wednesday, March 4, 2020, at the age of 98 years.

Don was born February 3, 1922 in Yellowgrass, SK to parents William and Ethel (nee Collins) Murphy. Early in Don’s life the family moved to Kimberley, BC before settling in the Lake Saskatoon area in 1926, where they took up farming. Don attended school at Lake Saskatoon and, being left-handed, had a few altercations with his teacher about which hand should be doing the writing. Work on the family farm was done with horses which he often fondly remembered in his later years.

After his school years, Don started farming on his own. In 1945 he married Kathleen “Kathy” Farquhar and they were soon busy raising a crop of kids. The farm was subsidized with off-farm income. Over the years, he worked in sawmills, on the railroad, and building construction. He also did custom grain hauling. There was always time for picnics, fishing trips and time to help a friend or family member to build a house or shop or whatever needed doing.

Upon retirement Don and Kathy moved into Wembley. There he enjoyed woodwork and his handiwork can be found in his children’s homes today. Later they moved into Grande Prairie until Kathleen passed away in 2003. Don resided in Pioneer Lodge for about fourteen years before being moved to the Grande Prairie Care Centre in 2019.

Don leaves to mourn his children: Donna (Rudy) Franz, Wilma (Michael) Bain, Gloria (Gerald) Ryan, Jane (Doug) Gaboury, and David (Vera) Murphy; son in-law Robert MacAlister; grandchildren: Robert, Tracy, Tanya, Steven, Amanda, Brenda, Connie, Tammy, Kimberly, Krystal, Jennifer, and Daniel; sixteen great-grandchildren; two great great-grandchildren; and sister Ethel McFarland.

He was predeceased by his wife Kathleen, daughter Patricia MacAlister, brothers James and Earl Murphy, and sister Barbara Phillippe.

Thank you to Dr. Richard Martin for the house calls and your personal care. Also, thanks to the staff at the Grande Prairie Care Centre.

A Memorial Service will be held on Wednesday, March 11, 2020, at 2:00pm, at Lake Saskatoon Community Hall, followed by lunch and fellowship. Interment will be held at the Lake Saskatoon Cemetery, for the family, immediately following the service.

Memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Society (102, 9823 116 Ave., Grande Prairie, AB T8V 4B4, alzheimer.ca/en/ab) or the Canadian Cancer Society (200, 325 Manning Road NE, Calgary, AB, T2E 2P5, www.cancer.ca).

• Date : 2020-03-04
• Location : Grande Prairie, Alberta

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