Henry Thomas Murphy

Henry Thomas Murphy, 89, of Kendal, Ithaca, passed away Monday, September 2, 2013 after a brief illness. Mr. Murphy was born December 9, 1923 in Lynn, Massachusetts, a son of the late Henry T. Murphy, Sr. and Lucy Langille Murphy.
During World War II, Mr. Murphy enlisted in the naval aviation pilot training program (V-5) with assignments at various colleges and universities. Following discharge from the service, he worked as a machinist and then enrolled in Boston University, earning an A.B. degree in biology. He then worked in medical research and did graduate studies at the University of New Hampshire. Mr. Murphy then went into library work and studies earning the A.M.L.S. degree from the University of Michigan. Interesting steps in his career path next took him to Washington D.C. working for the US Department of Agriculture Library and the Library of Congress. He went on to work as bibliographer and to establish several research libraries including the Plum Island USDA Animal Disease Laboratory Library and the Indiana Agricultural Experiment Station Library. For 12 years, Mr. Murphy was the Life Science librarian for Purdue University. From 1969 until he retired in 1989, Mr. Murphy was the librarian for Mann Library, College of Agriculture, Cornell University.
Mr. Murphy was a faithful member of Immaculate Conception Church in Ithaca for 44 years. From 1969 until recent years, he was an active member of the Ithaca-Cayuga Rotary Club and served as secretary for most of those years.
Mr. Murphy was predeceased by his first wife Mary Scarseth Murphy and his brother Paul. He is survived by his wife Margaret Carey Murphy of Kendal, Ithaca; daughter Mari (Rodney)Logan of Silver Springs, NY; son Christopher (Linda)Murphy of Ithaca; grandsons: Joel (Amy) Logan of Ames, IA; Aaron Logan of Odenton, MD; and Paul Logan of Minot, ND; great-grandson George Logan of Ames, IA; brother Edward (Virginia) Murphy and sister Jean (James) Porath of Massachusetts, sister-in-law, Eleanor Carey of Ithaca; as well as other sister and brother-in-laws, and nieces and nephews.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Saturday September 7, 2013 at 11:00 AM at Immaculate Conception Church with Fr. Jeffrey Tunnicliff officiating. Friends may call Friday September 6, 2013 from 4:00 to 6:00 PM at the Bangs Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to Immaculate Conception Church or charity of ones choice