John J. Murphy, Jr, 81, of Norwell, MA (Kenmore, NY), passed away in his home on February 27, 2025 surrounded by his family.  John was predeceased by his beloved wife of 60 years, Judith "Jude" Murphy (nee Jankowski) (Kenmore, NY), on April 24, 2024.

John was the son of John J. Murphy, Sr and Kathleen Murphy (nee Byrne) of Kenmore, NY. Upon graduating from high school, John headed to flight school in Dallas-Fort Worth, TX and began his flying career with Central Airlines in Kansas City, MO in 1966 where he gained his flight hours in order to start his career as a commercial pilot.  On June 27, 1967 he was hired by Mohawk Airlines and remained loyal to the company and the industry throughout his flying career, seamlessly evolving with the airlines as they merged from Mohawk Airlines to Allegheny Airlines to US Airways. John served as Chief Pilot in Pittsburgh, PA and in Boston, MA (twice). He became the Senior Director of Operations and the Senior Vice President of Flight at US Airways prior to his retirement.  John was considered "one of the few management pilots with integrity" and "a genuine class act" by his fellow flight officers, his peers and his friends in the aviation industry.  He was a proud member of the prestigious aviators club the Quiet Birdmen.  John remained a strong and loyal advocate for the pilot group long after his retirement in 2004.

Throughout his years, John's hobbies and personal enjoyment included leisure flying and aerobatics in his de Havilland Tiger Moth bi-plane, spending as many days as possible on golf courses across the country with friends, ski trips, fishing adventures and his love for the game of baseball.

John was the devoted father of Mary Colleen Murphy (Paul Conboy) of Scituate, MA, Karen Murphy-Fitch (Brandon Fitch) of Scituate, MA, John Murphy (Erin Murphy) of Spring City, PA, and Michael Murphy (Kristin Gratton) of Scituate, MA.  He will be deeply missed by his six grandchildren Kathleen Mulheren (nee Tobin) (Wyatt Mulheren) of Rumson, NJ, Shaelyn Tobin of Marshfield, MA, Daniel Tobin of Marshfield, MA, Brendan Tobin of Marshfield, MA, Finn Murphy of Scituate, MA, and Liam Fitch of Scituate, MA.  His family cherishes many of his most memorable and endearing qualities:  his dinnertime history lessons, his self-declared challenge to complete the list of the "100 Classics to Read in Your Lifetime" (which he completed over the course of one year), his generosity and belief that there is "no such thing as a loan" but rather "an opportunity to help someone whom I am able to help", his belief that everything could be fixed and never thrown away - and he really could fix everything, his in depth and multigenerational storytelling, his meticulous lawn, his choice (despite a lifetime of jabs from his friends) to drive bare essentials pickup trucks until they ran no longer; he will be remembered as being amongst the least pretentious and least greedy people his friends and family had the pleasure of knowing.

John chose to forego services at this time. A burial at sea followed by a celebration of life complete with Irish music, storytelling, Irish toasts and lots of laughter with those who would like to celebrate John's life with us will be planned for this summer.