Rev. William F. Murphy, 82, Pastor Emeritus of St. Timothy Church, Warwick, died on November 13, 2013.
Born in Woonsocket, a son of the late William F. and Alice L. (Lyons) Murphy, he attended St. Charles School, Woonsocket, St. Pius School, LaSalle Academy, and Providence College, Providence. He completed studies for the priesthood at St. Mary Seminary, Baltimore, Maryland, and at Our Lady of Providence Seminary, Warwick Neck, RI. He was ordained a priest on May 26, 1956 in the Cathedral of SS. Peter and Paul, Providence, by Bishop Russell J. McVinney.
Father Murphy served as assistant pastor at St. Charles Church, Woonsocket (1956-58); St. Peter Church, Warwick (1958-63); St. Joseph Church, Newport (1963-69); and at St. Patrick Church, Cumberland (Valley Falls) (1969-75). In March 1975 he was appointed pastor of Sacred Heart Church, Woonsocket, and was transferred to St. Timothy, Warwick in January 1988. In October 1996, Fr. Murphy retired as pastor emeritus and took up residence at St. John Vianney Residence, Providence, where he lived until just before his death. In addition to his parochial duties, Fr. Murphy was chaplain of the Junior Catholic Daughters of Newport.
Fr. Murphy was the brother of the late Sister Barbara Marie Murphy, RSM.
A concelebrated Mass of Christian Burial was offered for the repose of his soul at Saint Timothy Church, 1799 Warwick Avenue, Warwick on Saturday, November 16, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. Burial was in St. Charles Cemetery, Blackstone, MA.
