Obituary of John Bernard Murphy

John B. Murphy, of Granby, Colorado and Lake Havasu City, Arizona, passed away on February 26, 2017 at Lake Hills Inn in Lake Havasu City, Arizona at the age of 101. John was a long time rancher in Colorado, raising cattle on the land his parents purchased in 1909. He was born in the old ranch house and as a child, rode horseback to the one room school house in town, fording the Fraser River before the first bridge was built. John was active in the community serving for many years on the board of the East Grand Fire District, was president and board member of the Grand County Irrigated Land Company and sat on the board of the Middle Park Stockgrowers Association and the Soil Conservation District. He married Carolyn Hudak in 1979 and together they ranched until 1993 when John decided it was time to slow down. In retirement, he was able to fulfill his lifelong dream of travel by making a safari to Africa, cruising the Inside Passage of Alaska, and taking a walking tour of Ireland, his country of ancestry, when he was 87, walking 4-7 miles a day. He is preceded in death by his parents; first wife Edith Clark Murphy; brother, Jim; sister, Margaret, and grandson, Glenn Baker. He is survived by his wife Carolyn; daughter, Jennifer Baker; son, Steven Murphy; grandson, Perry (Pam) Baker; nephews, Leigh (Deane) Murphy and Carl Murphy; great nephew, Andy (Paige) Murphy, and great niece, Sabrina (Justin) Ketcham. Funeral service and burial will take place at Our Lady of the Snow Catholic Church in Granby, Colorado in May. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Our Lady of the Lake Soup Kitchen and St. Vincent de Paul Food Bank. Services were placed in the care of Lietz-Fraze Funeral Home. Thoughts and condolences can be sent to the Murphy family at www.lietz-frazefuneralhome.com.