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Conway, SC-..Joseph M. "Joe" Murphy, age 78, passed away in peace at home in Conway, SC, with the loving support of family and friends on Thursday, January 21, 2010. Joseph was born in Kilmaine County Mayo Ireland in 1931 and came to America at the age of 17. He enlisted into the US Army on September 8, 1950. Joseph was a frontline combat infantryman in Korea, and was awarded the Purple Heart, Presidential Unit Emblem, Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation Badge as well as other honors while serving his country. He was a proud American. Joseph returned from Korea, and eventually became an accountant for IBM. He worked at IBM in New York for 32 years. Joseph and his wife Celeena moved to Conway, SC in 2005. He was a member of St. James Catholic Church. Prior to discovering that he had an aggressive brain tumor three months ago, Joseph liked to read and garden. As a devoted father and grandfather, he attended countless assemblies, plays, concerts, and was a great listener. Joseph wrote, "I had a family who supported me and whom I loved dearly. I will always be with them." He was preceded in death by his brother, Michael and a sister, Christine. Surviving are his wife of 54 years, Celeena Murphy of Conway; his daughter, Eileen Fleck and her husband David of Conway; two sons, Joseph Murphy of St. Peters, MO and Michael Murphy and his wife Ruth of Brewster, NY; 8 grandchildren; four brothers, Patrick, Martin, Peter and Thomas; two sisters, Mary and Nancy. A viewing will be held at Goldfinch Funeral Home, Conway Chapel on Saturday, January 23rd from 1:00 until 3:00 PM and Sunday, January 24th from 5:00 until 7:00 PM. A funeral will be held at St. James Catholic Church in Conway on Monday, January 24th at 10:00 AM followed by a short burial service at the Florence National Cemetery. Memorials may be sent to St. James Catholic Church, 1071 Academy Drive, Conway, SC 29526 or to the American Cancer Society, 950 48th Avenue N., Myrtle Beach, SC 29577. Sign a guestbook at www.goldfinchfuneralhome.com Goldfinch Funeral Home, Conway Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

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Joseph M. Murphy

January 21, 2010