March 15, 1945 — Feb. 21, 2025
World-famous playwright Gerald P. Murphy died while undergoing a heart catheterization at Providence Hospital in Medford, Oregon on Feb. 21, 2025.
A proud Irish-American, he was born in Philadelphia on March 15th, 1945 to John and Rose Murphy. The eighth of nine children, Jim, Jack, Molly, Katty, George, Suzanne, Joe, Jerry and Peggy, Jerry was always surrounded by family. His mother emigrated from Ireland at 19 and was soon joined by many of her family so his connection to Ireland remained strong throughout his life.
After a year at LaSalle University, Jerry had a chance to go to California and lived with his sister, Suzanne and brother-in-law Ray while attending the College of San Mateo in 1964. A world literature class brought Jerry and Nicole Jones together for the beginning of a wonderful relationship. Returning to Philadelphia they married in 1966 and had their first child, Myles. Jerry worked at the Pennsylvania Railroad.
A desire to return to the west coast brought the family to San Francisco in 1968 where they lived in the Haight-Ashbury district while he worked at the Sante Fe Railroad. Inspired by the folk music movement, he taught himself guitar, banjo, mandolin and piano and wrote many songs to perform for friends and family. After a year in San Francisco, Jerry decided that he still wanted to teach and moved to Ashland, Oregon near the Jones family. He completed his Bachelor’s Degree in 1971 at Southern Oregon College (now SOU).
Jerry began teaching English at Yreka High School in 1971, and a daughter, Marya, joined the family. He continued taking summer classes until he earned his Master’s Degree. In 1978, they welcomed their youngest, Amanda. Jerry and his family lived in Yreka for more than 40 years. He loved teaching, and always looked out for the kids who might otherwise get left behind. He was known for playing his guitar and singing during class, and finding unique inroads to excite in his students an appreciation for literature. His room was a haven for many kids at lunch time, where he played movies and provided a place where everyone felt welcome. Summers were often spent performing for the Blue Goose Railroad excursions.
Meanwhile he became deeply involved in a new and dynamic group of people who had formed the Siskiyou Performing Arts Center (SPAC). He wrote and co-wrote several musical comedies and other endeavors and performed in dozens of “Wild” variety shows. He was known for writing witty, crowd pleasing lyrics and catchy melodies. Jerry’s first full-length musical, The Sex King of Siskiyou County was written and produced in 1978, and several wildly popular original musicals followed, including The State of Jefferson, Northwest Side Story, and others.
Following retirement, he managed to travel much of the world. He continued to write and perform as often as possible. Close to 100 of his shows — full-length plays, musicals, and one-acts — were published, and his plays have been produced in more than 40 countries. His most popular show, a musical version of Aesop’s Fables, has been produced by more than 120 theaters.
After moving to Medford in 2012, Jerry taught and attended classes at OLLI, volunteered at the Hawthorne Potluck, and was a regular guest columnist for a local pundit. He enjoyed the reach social media gave him to share his absurd humor with the larger world. Jerry’s sense of humor was infectious and irrepressible, and newcomers either quickly learned not to believe anything he told them, or were forever baffled. He was regularly banned from NextDoor, which he took as a mark of pride.
While in Yreka he performed regularly with the Celtic Cats Irish music group and helped form the Over Easy Band in Medford playing for retirement homes until COVID put an end to it. Jerry’s creativity could not be scuppered, and he was writing new songs and telling crazy stories on Facebook the week he died.
Gerald is survived by his wife, Nicole Murphy, of Medford, Oregon; his son, Myles Murphy, also of Medford; his daughter Marya Murphy of Redwood City, California; and his daughter and son-in-law Amanda and Colin May of Ashland, Oregon. He is also survived by grandchildren Jack Murphy, Ailsa and Astra Adams, and Winston May; and siblings Sister Catherine Murphy, George Murphy and Margaret Higgins, as well as dozens of nieces and nephews.
A memorial will take place on April 26th at 1:00 p.m. in the Crystal Room of Ashland Springs Hotel at 212 East Main Street in Ashland. Come tell a story or sing a song or just remember the joy he brought to everyone he met.
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