November 10 1932 September 26 2019
Charles R. Murphy, of Greenwood, died on September 26, 2019. Born in Sparta Co., NC on November 10, 1932, he was one of six children born to Charlie Fred and Mary Rosema Moore Murphy. After high school, he attended Appalachian State College and then enlisted in the US Navy in 1951. Upon completion of basic training, Charles was assigned to Long Beach Naval Air Station, CA, then was transferred to Yokosuka Naval Station, Japan. In 1954, Charles was approved for Naval Flight Training at Pensacola NAS, FL, whereupon he graduated at the top of his class. In flight school, Charles was bunkmates and flew missions with Rear Admiral (Ret) Robert Shumaker, who was shot down over Hanoi, North Vietnam in February 1965, becoming one of the longest-held POWs of the Vietnam War (over eight years). Charles continued flying with the US Navy until he was released from active duty in 1963. After the Navy, he owned and operated a flight school in Lompoc, CA, which trained private pilots while also performing contract flying operations for Vandenberg AFB and private aircraft companies. Afterwards, Charles was employed as a civilian pilot at the US Naval Missile Center at Point Mugu, CA. In 1969, he went to Alaska to live and flew as a pilot for Alaska Airlines for seven years. During this time, he owned an aircraft refueling company, K & L, Inc. In 1976, Charles moved to Greenwood County, SC to raise cattle. 1981, he was employed with Grimes Aerospace for 15 years and was later employed as a school bus driver for Greenwood District 50 for nine years, retiring in 2016. Charles is survived by his wife of 62 years, Mary Murphy, of Greenwood; his daughter, Lynn Faulkner; his son, Kenneth Murphy (Brian); two grandchildren, Kyle Faulkner and Tracy Seymour (Dalton) and two great grandchildren, Sephenia Rose and Atlas Ren, all of Atlanta, GA. A memorial service will be held at 5 p.m. on October 5, 2019 at the Harley Funeral Home Chapel. The family will receive friends at the funeral home immediately following the service. To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Charles Murphy please visit our Sympathy Store.
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Charles Murphy November 10 1932 September 26 2019.
Harley Funeral Home & Crematory
Death notice for the town of: Greenwood, state: South Carolina