After a hard fought 10-month battle against an extremely rare form of cancer, U.S. Air Force TSgt Robert Jay Murphy lost his fight on the morning of Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2012, at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany at the age of 40.
He was born in St. Paul, MN on March 21, 1972 the son of Robert John Murphy and Annie Marie Tank. He was 1990 graduate of Waukesha South High School and on May 21, 1994 he married Kristina Bruhn, also of Waukesha.
Rob was a career member of the U.S. Air Force currently stationed at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. He was deployed to Kuwait and Iraq twice during Operation Iraqi Freedom and spent a year in South Korea serving at Camp Red Cloud near the DMZ. Rob was a member of the Reformed Presbyterian Church. He was an avid runner and an amateur radio operator (call sign N9RXE). His greatest joy was spending time with his family and constantly volunteering with whatever activities his kids were involved in.
He will be forever missed by his loving wife, Krissie, and their three children: Sarah (17), Noah (14), and Micah (10), his father Robert John (Elaine) Murphy of Onalaska, his mother Annie (Lee) Tank of Waukesha, and his step-siblings: Adam Kuchler and Jaime (Adrian) Chapin. He is further survived by his father and mother-in-law, Rolf W. and Mary Lou Bruhn of Florida, his brother-in-law, Rolf C. Bruhn of Minnesota, along with aunts, uncles, cousins, other relatives, and numerous friends around the world.
To learn more about Rob’s journey visit his Caring Bridge Website at http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/rob_murphy/.
Visitation will be held on Friday, Oct. 19, 2012, from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. at Trinity Presbyterian Church, 224 N. Hine Avenue, Waukesha. Services will continue on Saturday, Oct. 20, at the church with a visitation from 10 a.m. until the 11 a.m. funeral service. Reverend Brent Sadler will preside. Graveside services with full military honors will follow at Prairie Home Cemetery. Following the burial, a reception will be held at 1314 S. Grand Avenue, Waukesha. The family requests that you honor Rob at the reception and wear his favorite attire of jeans, a T-shirt, and Converse Shoes.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are appreciated to the family, to the American Red Cross, PO Box 4002018, Des Moines, IA 50340-2018 or to the American Cancer Society, PO Box 22718, Oklahoma City, OK 73123-1718. To make an online donation to the family please visit http://www.youcaring.com/fundraiser_details?fundraiser_id=11413&url=murphyfamilylovegifts
is honored to serve the family. For further information, please call the funeral home at 262-547-4035 or go to www.waukeshafunerals.com for directions or to leave the family an online tribute message.
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. – 2 Timothy 4:7
