Remembering David Murphy '80

There’s tough. There’s resolute. There’s resilient. There’s courageous. And there’s fearless.
Then, my friends, there’s David Murphy.
 
To say that Murph lived those noble attributes to the max is to state the obvious.
 
He lived them as an athlete, most notably as a stellar quarterback both at Collegiate where he was the first Richmond Times-Dispatch player of the year (1979) and at William & Mary, where he was the Richmond Touchdown Club’s offensive player of the year in Virginia (1983).
 
He lived them as a role model outside the athletic arena: as Kellie’s husband and Cameron’s, Thomas’s, Luke’s, and Meredith’s father, as an advocate for his clients at Wells Fargo Advisors, as a selfless community volunteer, and as a bulwark for his extended family and wide circle of friends.
 
And in the last 18 months, he lived them with honor and distinction even as pancreatic cancer did all within its power to break his spirit. It never did, though, not even close, and when he slipped peacefully away July 8, that most fearsome aggressor didn’t win. No way did it win. The clock just ran out.
 
What better way to remember our friend, to acknowledge his impact on all of us, and to celebrate a life of joy, passion, and humility than to hear, through the imperfect word, a compendium of thoughts, remembrances, and reflections of many of his longtime friends?

  • Dave was the toughest dude I’ve ever run across in my life. Period. Full stop.
  • Never once did Dave say, “Why me?” or “I can’t believe this is happening to me” or “This isn’t fair.” Only “I’m sorry this had to happen, but I’m so glad it’s not my wife, so glad it’s not my kids.” He never lost his composure. To the end, he was completely in control.
  • Dave’s nature is to fight. He fought the good fight. He went on his own terms. He left it all out on the field.
  • What we all loved about Dave was that he was always cool under pressure, just like when he was playing quarterback. When the defense blitzed, he never flinched. He applied that same mindset to the challenge of cancer: calm, composed, find a way, never back down.
  • As good as Dave was, he never bragged about his accomplishments or his awards, and there were many.
  • There was a comfort level where you could always go to David. You knew he’d be strong. You knew he’d be consistent. You knew he’d be a great friend. His focus was always on his family, his friends, his friends’ kids, and their wellbeing.
  • He played the game he’d been preparing for all his life, and he played it like the champion he was.
  • David was larger than life. He was always a leader amongst the guys and a galvanizer of people. He was as loyal as the day is long.
  • David never sought attention or recognition for anything he did, whether it was behind the scenes work with the Boys & Girls Club (where he served on the board for 21 years) or his many other altruistic endeavors or visiting people in nursing homes or in hospitals or reaching out to people with no expectation of recognition or reward. It wasn’t about what he and his friends did. It was about how they could help others in need.
  • Between his love for his family and all his buddies, Murph leaves a bottomless void. He never called attention to his illness. It was keep things normal and keep moving forward. He was an incredible example of strength, goodness, and kindness.
  • We were hoping for a miracle, but the real miracle was having David as our friend. He’s an inspiration that will always lift us. He was a rock in people’s lives. His blessing to us is that he was our friend, and he enriched our lives immensely.
  • Murph was an amazing athlete. He was also our moral compass. If you went to him in a good time or a bad time, you were going to get good advice. He was a loyal friend. That was Murph.
  • My fondest memories were watching him interact with his family, which was very tight-knit and close. Kellie was his best friend. She’s been unbelievably devoted and under control. Those two came out of central casting for loyalty, friendship, and marriage. Amazing.
  • There are very few people who could have fought like he did. It’s unbelievable how he was so present for so long.
  • He “got it” in terms of relationships. When you absorbed how he did things and how much friendships meant to him, you just wanted to be better. He was really a special guy.
  • He had a heart of gold and a depth of character. It was never about him. Never.
  • With Murph, character mattered. He wanted to be around people of high character. He always wanted to do the right thing and do right by people. He was a solid person, a solid citizen. Somebody described him as a “cynical optimist.” He could be cynical about what he saw on the news, but he always remained optimistic. Always had a positive outlook.
  • Even though he was a star quarterback, he was always approachable and never had an attitude. He was a genuinely good guy. He always had your back. I’ll miss you, #15.    
     ~Weldon Bradshaw
 
 
        
 
        
 
        
 
        
 
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