John J. Murphy

John J. Murphy, Jr, 81, of Norwell, MA formerly of 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 Murphy (nee Jankowski) also from Kenmore, NY, on April 24, 2024.

John was the son of John J. Murphy, Sr and Kathleen Murphy (nee Byrne) of Kenmore, NY. John began his flying career with Central Airlines in Kansas City, MO in 1966 and 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. 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 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.

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.

His family will forever remember: his dinnertime history lessons, his self-declared challenge to complete the list of the “100 Classics to Read in Your Lifetime” (which he completed in one year), his generosity and belief that there is “no such thing as a loan” but rather “an opportunity to help someone", 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 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 will have a burial at sea followed by an Irish celebration of life this summer. 

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