William J. "Bill" Murphy Jr., 85, of Hutchinson, died July 14, 2012, at Via Christi Hospital on St. Francis, Wichita.

Bill was born Aug. 4, 1926, in Hutchinson, the son of William J. Sr. and Margarite Morris Murphy.

Bill was a 1944 graduate of Hutchinson High School, and was active in music, winning several awards. He was a member of the American Legion Drum & Bugle Corps, and joined the Lawrence Welk Orchestra for a Hutchinson concert appearance. He later toured the west coast with the Jack Teagarden Orchestra. Bill was a veteran of the U.S. Navy, where he served on the USS New Mexico, which was involved with the Marshall Islands assault in 1944 in the South Pacific. After the war, Bill worked for N.F. English Construction, and later Ewing Construction. Bill retired as Project Supt. and Building Inspector for the City of Hutchinson. Bill was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church, Doers Sunday School of the church, the American Legion Lysle Rishel Post #68, Hutchinson-Reno Masonic Lodge #124 A.F. & A.M., Midian Shrine in Wichita, where he played trumpet in the Shriner's Hillbilly Dixieland Band, and was a former member of the Elk's Lodge & Loyal Order of Moose #1371.

Bill married Juanita N. "Neet" White on Oct. 13, 1944, in Hutchinson. She died Oct. 24, 1999. He later married Shirley Frank on Aug. 30, 2003, in Hutchinson. She survives.

Other survivors include: two sons, Mike Murphy and wife Robin, North Richland Hills, Texas, and Joe Murphy and wife Donna, Wichita; a stepson, Randy Frank and wife Judy, Lawrence; a stepdaughter, Cindy Lewis and husband Doug, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; six grandchildren; two step-grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, and a sister, Wanda Schufman.

Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 18, 2012, at Trinity United Methodist Church, with Pastor Jim Rhaesa, Pastor Mike McGuire, and Pastor Natalie Bryant presiding. Burial will be in Fairlawn Burial Park. Visitation will be Tuesday, July 17, 2012, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., with the family to greet friends on Tuesday from 7 to 8 p.m., all at Elliott Mortuary.

Memorial contributions may be made to Trinity United Methodist Church, or the Kansas Honor Flight, sent in care of Elliott Mortuary, 1219 N. Main, Hutchinson, Kansas 67501.