Jerry Elwyn Murphy, 83, of Kirksville, MO, formerly of Morris, IL, went to his eternal home on the afternoon of September 28, 2022, at Kirksville Manor Care Center after battling congestive heart failure. Jerry was born at home on May 27, 1939, in Kensett, Arkansas to Edgar & Maude (nee Sloniker) Murphy. In about 1950, his family moved to Creston, IL and spent several years in the area before moving to Morris, IL two weeks before his 16th birthday.

In the Fall of 1957, Jerry married Janet McClure and they shared two daughters, Robin Elizabeth, and Penny Louise. On August 25, 1975, he married Mary K. Higgins in Dixon, IL and had a son, David T. Murphy. Jerry spent most of his life living in Morris, IL and enjoyed a diverse career working at the Morris Paper Mill and several other manufacturing jobs, car sales, law enforcement, insurance investigation, and as a small business owner of a residential painting company in Morris. After his wife passed in 1990, Jerry married the love of his life, Janet Sue Pfaff of Morris, IL in April of 1994 and immediately moved to Kirksville, MO where they would spend 28 wonderful years together. The couple continued his painting company there, and eventually retired to driving a school bus for Weber Bus.

Jerry loved life and everything it had to offer. Whether it was live theater, watching the latest meteor shower, spending quality time with family, or just catching up with an old friend on the phone, he could find overwhelming joy in every moment. Jerry was very active in his local community and participated in many city council and Planning & Zoning Commission meetings. He was also a very active member of Yarrow United Methodist Church. He was a devout Christian and put God and family above all.

Jerry is survived by his wife, Janet; son, David (Heather) Murphy of Denison, TX; daughter, Robin Oliva of Kirksville; his wife Janet’s sons, Rick (Shelley) Coleman of Gardner, IL and Jim (Michelle) Coleman of Morris, IL; his wife Janet’s daughter, Yolanda (Doug) Wagner of Cedar Rapids, IA; brothers Willie Murphy of Bear Creek, AL, Jim (Sue) Murphy of Morris, IL, and Don (Jennifer) Murphy of Chattanooga, TN; sisters Patricia Hoover of Canton, TX and Linda (Dean) Oberle of York, NE; grandchildren, Rebecca (Michael) Svendsen of Bellevue, NE, Johnny Mauch of McKinney, TX, Carey Holland of Quincy, IL, and Kelly George of Kirksville, MO; great-grandchildren Mary, Christian, Colton, Izac, Nathan, Garrett, Samien, Logan, Seth, Lazarus, and Matthew; and several great-great grandchildren.

Jerry was preceded in death by his daughter, Penny Murphy; sisters Mary Snell, Virginia Newsom, Donna Fay Murphy, and Bonna May Murphy; brother Charles Dale (Janet) Murphy; and grandson Brett George.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, October 8, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. at the Yarrow United Methodist Church with burial at Yarrow Cemetery to immediately follow. Donations would be welcomed in Jerry’s name to the American Heart Association or to the donor’s choice, and may be left at the church or mailed to Travis-Noe Funeral Home, P.O. Box 306, Kirksville, MO 63501.