William Keith Murphy

William Keith Murphy (Bill, Billy, or Murph) left the earth far too early at the age of 61 on August 16th in The Villages, FL. Bill was born and raised in Long Island, NY where he found his love for working on cars, and also discovered his hatred for the cold. He moved to Baton Rouge, LA in 1981 where he raised his family and owned & operated Murph’s Auto for over 20 years. He enjoyed a good thermos of coffee, thrived tending to his vegetable garden, loved fishing on his boat with his kids, and found great pleasure in lending a helping hand to a friend. Speaking of friends, he met plenty along the way. His signature line when he shook someone’s hand for the first time was, “Hi I’m Bill Murphy, but my friends call me Murph.” He spent the last 8 years of his life in The Villages, close to his parents and siblings, whom he loved dearly. He enjoyed being one of the young(er) residents of The Villages and was known for lending unsolicited help to his neighbors with projects around their houses. No matter the problem, he always had a tool in the shed that could fix it. Bill was the epitome of kindness, enjoyed the simple things in life, and always reminded people not to take life too seriously. Ask anyone who knew him, and they would mention his big heart and his many quirks. He never met a surface he couldn’t nap on or a bowl of ice cream he couldn’t finish. He was generous with his time and knowledge, and never missed an opportunity to make memories with his family. Bill is preceded in death by his best friend Spike, a short and stocky 25-pound terrier, who we know has surely missed him. He is survived by his four children Billy, Kyle (Anna), Collin (Madelyn), and Kayleigh, as well as the mother of his children, Laurie Triola Murphy. He relished his role as Papa Murph to his grandchildren Tait, Teegan, Liam, Manning, Ayla, and Alice-Mae. Left with decades of fond and colorful memories are his loving parents Jim and Dottie and siblings Susan (Jack), Jimmy (Maryanne), Mark (Cathy), and David, as well as 13 nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, we ask that you do something kind for a neighbor, as Murph would have done. A celebration of life, in Murph’s honor, will be held in Florida this fall.

William Keith Murphy

December 27, 1962 - August 16, 2024