On September 27, 2026, William Henry Murphy (Bill) passed away peacefully at his Rowley home at the age of 66, surrounded by his wife, Donna, and his children, Kaitlin Hughes, Courtney Freeman, and William Murphy Jr. He was predeceased by his parents, Robert and Catherine Murphy, and his brothers, George and Jimmy. He is survived by his wife, Donna Murphy; his daughter Kaitlin and her husband, Will Hughes; his daughter Courtney and her husband, Steve Freeman; his son, William Murphy Jr., and his wife, Zoe; his five grandchildren, Benjamin, Lincoln, Violet, William, and Kennedy; and his brother, Robert Murphy Jr.; and countless other family members and friends.
Born on October 1st, 1959, to Robert and Catherine Murphy in Medford, MA, Bill was the fourth of five children. Bill cherished growing up in Medford, talking fondly about his times at the Tufts park, venturing down the cape, and most importantly meeting the love of his life, Donna, his 1978 prom date.
Donna and Bill were married on May 24, 1987, in Nahant. Shortly after, the newlyweds moved into a home that Bill had built in Londonderry, New Hampshire, where they brought two daughters, Kaitlin (b. 1988) and Courtney (b. 1990), into the world. In 1994, they expanded the family with the birth of a son, William Henry Murphy Jr., and settled into a new home Bill constructed in Rowley, Massachusetts, a place he would call home for the next 32 years. That same steady dedication carried into his professional life when he started a role as a carpenter with Cummings Properties. He remained with the company until his retirement in 2024, forming lifelong friendships with his coworkers along the way.
The best days of his life were watching his three children grow up in Rowley. He embraced every phase of parenthood with full dedication, transitioning seamlessly from dance dad to cheerleading dad, softball assistant, and ultimately, head football coach. Bill had a natural gift for bringing people together, organizing yearly trips centered around whitewater rafting, hiking, and skiing. In 2011, he took one more swing at community-building by founding the Rowley Mud Ducks, a team that just completed its 16th year at the North Conway Mud Bowl. If you’ve had a conversation with Bill over the past 16 years, chances are you have been recruited to come up and join the ducks.
Bill truly loved life and tried to make the most of every day. On a weekday night you could catch him on the computer, figuring out his next big trip with Donna. This method brought him all over the globe to places like Ireland, Italy, Hawaii, Steamboat, and whatever city he deemed best for seeing a Patriots away game. When he wasn’t traveling, he was a weekend warrior, spending winter weekends in New Hampshire and summers on the water with his family.
Family was the North Star of Bill’s life, spending as much time with his wife and children as he could. Sometimes that meant taking the family out on his boat in Plum Island Sound, a place he often referred to as “God’s country.” Other weekends were spent helping his two daughters renovate their homes or babysitting some combination of his five grandchildren. Ultimately, for Bill, the specific task didn’t matter if he got to spend it alongside his wife, children, and grandchildren.
A Mass of Christian Burial was held on October 2, 2026, at St. Mary Parish, Main Street, Rowley. A Celebration of Life followed at Michael’s Harborside in Newburyport, MA. Donations can be made to the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation, 5526 West 13400 South, Herriman, UT 84096.
To light a memorial candle or to leave a message of condolence,
please visit www.fsrobertsandson.com.
~ Arrangements entrusted to F. S. Roberts & Son Funeral Home ~
