Dr. T. Michael (Mike) Murphy, age 70, a Marion area Oral and Maxillofacial surgeon and Anesthesiologist died unexpectedly Monday, April 30, 2018 at Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.
Mike was born on July 23, 1947 to the late Carl J. and Evelyn Way Murphy in Athens, Ohio. Growing up in the small beautiful Ohio University town offered Mike a variety of educational opportunities and he graduated from the Athens High School in 1965. He was active in sports, music, and theater.
Mike decided to remain in Athens and attend Ohio University. One rainy day in a freshman English class, a young woman caught his eye and he offered her a ride back to her dorm in his maroon fastback Ford Mustang. That day was the beginning of a life time of love and devotion that lasted almost forty-eight years.
The couple were married on June 21, 1969 in Massillon, Ohio, two weeks after both graduated from Ohio University. After returning to Athens for the summer Mike found work in the Athens National Bank and Gretchen found employment at the Ohio University Library. Fall would find them moving their mobile home to Pike County, Ohio where Mike became a sixth grade teacher and Gretchen taught Special Education. One year later found them relocating their home on wheels to Columbus so Mike could begin Dental School at The Ohio State University.
Mike found his niche in dental health. In 1973, he earned his DDS degree with Honors and was chosen to enter The Ohio State Oral and Maxillofacial Residency Program; one of only three dentists in the country to be selected that year. Dr. Murphy would learn both surgery and general anesthesia skills from some of the best pioneers in the field of Oral Surgery. Dr. Morgan Allison, Dr. Orville Russel, Dr. Bill Wallace and Dr. Joel Weaver were his lifetime mentors. He completed the program in 1978 and opened his first office in Marion and the town became home. He has practiced in Marion for over 40 years and has enjoyed every minute of it. He was starting to dream about retiring.
Dr. Murphy was committed to the field of Dentistry and Oral Surgery. He has served on the State of Ohio Dental Board; he was a Fellow of the Pierre Fauchard Academy, a member of the Great Lakes Society of Oral Maxillofacial Surgeons, the Omicron Kappa Dental Honorary Fraternity, and the American Dental Society of Anesthesiology. In 1993, Dr. Murphy was elected State President of the Ohio Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.
Other memberships included: The Ohio State Presidents Club, Sons of the American Legion Prospect Post 368. American Legion Riders Prospect Post 368. He held social memberships at Waldo American Legion Post 605 and VFW 7201.
He was a past member of Waldo, Ohio’s zoning board.
Although his professional life kept him extremely busy he was never too busy for fun. His license plate read Great Life and he meant it. He has a Need for Speed. He loved fast exotic cars to the point that some were fearful of riding with him. Things did not improve when he docked his Cigarette boat on Lake Erie. Gretchen refused to set foot on the boat and soon friends were abandoning him, also.
Mike was a lifetime learner. He enjoyed learning new hobbies and once learned he would move onto something new. He learned to fly and held a pilot’s license, he took scuba diving lessons, and he learned water navigation. Mike loved new fast cars and would have purchased one every year if he had the means. He enjoyed enrolling in Driving Schools that taught him to drive at speed. They enabled him to drive on major racing venues such as Charlotte, Mid-Ohio, Sebring, and Kansas Motor Speed Way and others.
Mike and Gretchen’s most enjoyable hobby was motorcycle riding. They were in their mid-forties when they caught Harley Davidson fever. Their riding took them to many parts of the United States and of course, Mike had to tinker with his bike until it would go as fast as possible.
Thomas Michael Murphy was a man who lived life his way. Take it or leave it. He was a big man with a giant heart. If you were his friend, please know he loved you.
Gretchen would like to give a heartfelt thank you to the church community at the Richland Road Church of Christ for opening their hearts to the Murphy Family.
Mike is survived by his wife, Gretchen, his best friend, Mike “Weasel” Starner, his dental practice family, Gina Benjamin, Teirra Brady, Susan Bumgartner, Cathy Judy, Denise Sens, cousins Jane and Jerry Bittner, Chris and Cathy Way, Suzan Pitts, Jenny (Tom) Rawl, Jeff Way, Bud Eylar and brother and sister in law, Michael and Suzanne Ziegelhofer and many nieces and nephews.
Friends and Family may come to honor Mike’s life on Friday May 4, 2018 starting at 4pm to 8pm at the Richland Road Church of Christ, 535 Richland Road, Marion, Ohio. A funeral service will be held on Saturday May 5, 2018 starting at 11am at the Richland Road Church of Christ with Russell Howard officiating. Burial will follow the service at the Prospect Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to “Marion Community Foundation”, 504 South State Street, Marion, OH 43302, for the purpose of establishing a memorial fund in honor of Mike/Michael.
Online condolences may be expressed to the family at: www.boydbornfuneralhome.com.
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