James Murphy, 68, died at home with his family early Saturday morning, April 7, 2007, following a lengthy illness.

      He was born Feb. 23, 1939, to Stephen and Katherine (Leahy) Murphy.   Jim married Rosalie Foreman in Butte in 1969.

      Jim attended St. Joseph's Catholic School, Butte High and Butte Vo-Tech.   After graduation from high school, he worked for the Anaconda Co. as an oiler and hoisting engineer.   He served two years of active duty in the Navy, stationed in California and Alaska, followed by time in the Naval Reserve.   He received an honorable discharge and returned to work for the Anaconda Co.   When the underground mines closed, he worked at the Berkeley Pit, served an apprenticeship and earned journeyman machinist status.   When the Anaconda Co. closed its Butte operations, Jim was employed as a boilerman at the Montana Developmental Center and later as a maintenance engineer at Montana Tech.   He was a member of the Machinists Union and Operating Engineers Union.   He retired in 2000.

      Jim dearly loved Rosalie, their sons, and families.   His grandchildren adored him.   When his boys, Scott, Tim, Art and Ryan were growing up, he relished summer vacations at Lake Blaine with Rosalie, the boys, nephew Jim, and brother Steve.   He was happy at home with family or on the golf course with them and his friends.   He enjoyed the winters he and Rosalie spent in Sun City, Ariz., after retirement.

      Jim was highly skilled in electrical, plumbing, mechanical, home and auto repairs, and he gladly shared his talents and knowledge whenever someone called on him.   When his brother, Steve, lived in Butte, the two enjoyed many a game of chess and golf.   He loved Butte history, Irish history, and history in general.   He wanted teenage sister, Julie, to appreciate Butte's mining history as much as he did and repeatedly drove her to all of the headframes and insisted she correctly name each one before he would agree to take her home.   Jim was a trivia buff and would have been a formidable contestant on Jeopardy.

      Though he had serious health issues for many years, he never complained about them, and it was very rare that he ever missed a day of work because of it.   He instilled his very strong work ethic in all of his children.   Jim was an intelligent realist who possessed a lot of common sense.   He had a wonderful gift of humor (inherited, we're sure, from his mom).   He loved a good practical joke whenever he could get away with one.   It was an annual ritual around St. Patrick's Day for Jim to bathe the family's dogs and use green food color in the rinse water to add holiday highlights to their fur.

      Thanks to all the help we had from special friends and family members who made our home handicap accessible, Jim was cared for at home, which pleased him very much.   A very special thank you goes to Rosalie's cousin, Dr. Bill Antonioli, for all his visits and help.

      Jim was preceded in death by his parents, aunts and uncles.

      He is survived by his wife, Rosalie; four sons and families, Scott Murphy, Kristen Dunn and daughters, Mackenna and Kalei, Timothy and Anna Murphy, Arthur and Jacquie (Cossel) Murphy and their children, Brittany O'Neil, Corby and Riley Murphy, and Ryan and Marlene (Postma) Murphy and their children, Kelcie and Kade; brother, Steve Murphy; sister, Julie Paterson; brother-in-law and wife, Ron and Colleen Foreman; nephews, James Murphy, Trent Keto, Jason Keto, Gus Birkelo, Ken Foreman and Don Foreman; and a large extended family including his cousins, Arleen Kouglioulis, Rita Casagrande, Linda Kovach and Bill McLaughlin; and special friends, Ray Nelson, Tom Kelly and Tom Foley.

      Visitation and viewing will begin at 10 a.m. Thursday in St. Joseph's Catholic Church.   Mass of the Resurrection will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Interment will follow in Holy Cross Cemetery.

      Suggested memorials: ALSA Evergreen Chapter, 19110 66th Ave. S. #G-101, Kent, WA 98032.   (Please designate ALSA memorials "for SALSA" so funds will be given to the support group that taught us so much about amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, loaned us helpful items, and gave us constant encouragement and emotional support during Jim's illness), Montana Tech Foundation, Butte Emergency Food Bank, or the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

      Express condolences at www.mtstandard.com/obits.