Donald H. Murphy

Dr. Donald Harold Murphy, of Springfield, MA, the son of Clarence and Maud Murphy, Canadian immigrants from Nova Scotia, Canada, was born in Boston January 10, 1940 and passed away on February 3, 2025 at home in Springfield. He was a very special person, hard-working, creative, and devoted to his chosen profession as an educator. He will be greatly missed by his family, those with whom he worked with over the years, his friends, and especially his students. He was proud of his accomplishments and wanted them to appear in his obituary.
He earned four university degrees including a Bachelor’s degree from Northeastern University, a Master’s degree from the University of Connecticut, a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study from Boston University, and a Doctorate from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. His forty-year career, as an educator, included teaching history in public schools and as an Adjunct Professor of history, at Bay Path College. He was involved in curriculum development of history programs in high schools and at the college. He helped with the introduction of computers used by students. He was a public school principal for more than twenty years including Longmeadow High School. While most of his graduate work was done in history, his doctoral work developed the school curriculum in order to further develop creative thinking among students. He also served as high school and middle school principal at the Cairo American College in Egypt. He was also on academic teams that evaluated other high schools. He assisted a state committee that evaluated the credentials of all candidates wishing to teach history and political science in Massachusetts.
He was active in coaching youth baseball, basketball and established the soccer program for North Attleboro. He was also involved in choral and instrumental music. He sang in the Concert Choir at Northeastern University, the Old South Church of Boston and the Metropolitan Men’s choir in Boston. He helped establish and led the choir of the Old Town Congregational Church in North Attleboro. He was a member of the marching and concert bands in college and the First Corps Cadets national guard marching band. He helped to design and lead musical productions in several schools.
He was very interested in genealogy and did complete genealogies on both his father’s and mother’s families. He was active in the First Church of Christ UCC in Longmeadow, where he served on and led many committees. He worked at a garden nursery and was an avid gardener. He and his wife Mary assisted with gardening work at the Springfield 16 Acres Library, First Church of Christ in Longmeadow and the design of the grounds of his condominium association.
He and his wife enjoyed extensive traveling in the U.S. as well as Canada, England, Wales, Scotland and France. Special attention was paid to cathedrals, gardens, and genealogy.
He was pre-deceased by his three sisters: Marjorie Murphy, Annie Fish, and Eleanor Graceffa, as well as brothers Richard and Charles Murphy. He leaves his beloved wife Mary Rosamond Murphy of Springfield, MA, two sons Kirk and Kevin Murphy, four stepchildren: Douglas Scott (Wendy), Allen Scott (Kristen), Una Scott and her partner Chris Taylor, Evan Scott and former daughter-in-law Katherine Scott and grandchildren: Sean and Ian Murphy, Micah, India, Aja, Cade Scott, Kaylan, Paige Scott, Joshua, Benjamin, Julianna Scott, James and Henry Scott.
A memorial service will be held on April 12, 2025 at 11:00 am at First Church of Christ in Longmeadow UCC, 763 Longmeadow Street, Longmeadow, MA. His cremated remains will be interred in the Memorial Garden of the church. New England Funeral & Cremation Center, 25 Mill Street, Springfield, MA has been entrusted with the arrangements. Please visit Dr. Murphy’s memorial page at www.nefcc.net for expressions of sympathy.