Patrick “Pat” Murphy, 85, of Sussex WI, passed peacefully surrounded by family on Tuesday morning January 13th.
Pat is survived by wife Sharon (Wolter) of 55 years, children Eric Marshall (Leighann), Laura Ann Vogt, and Brian Patrick (spouse Kathy), as well as his grandchildren Oscar & Olivia Vogt, Kylie Murphy and Natalya & Viktor Murphy, whom all refer to him as “Pa”.
Pat is also survived by sisters Rosemary Murphy (the late Gerald Kasprzak) and Amy (Tom) Schwaba, as well as many nieces and nephews which he loved dearly, and many other relatives and friends.
Pat was born in Coshocton OH on May 9th, 1940, to parents Kathryn Downs (Kiefer) and Martin Patrick Murphy.
Following his early years in Coshocton, Pat’s family moved to Janesville WI, home of the Janesville Cubs minor league baseball team. During these 10 years, Pat was influenced into becoming a Cubs fan. His family later returned to Coshocton, where he attended Sacred Heart Catholic School before transferring to Coshocton Central High School and graduating in 1959.
After graduation, “Murph” attended Marquette University in Milwaukee WI, studying history/pre-law, where he and his roommates began a life-long friendship as the “Rummies”. Pat was an avid deer hunter with the Rummies, meeting annually for 62 years, despite his 61 year drought without a deer.
After Marquette, he worked for the Jos. Schlitz Brewing Company in Milwaukee, starting as a tour guide and working his way to the Milwaukee Plant Purchasing Manager. While at Schlitz, Pat’s most impressive accomplishment was meeting his wife, Sharon. Pat’s Schlitz career lasted 16 years, until the company was egregiously sold to the Stroh Brewing Company. As of 2025, he and Sharon still organize an annual Schlitz alumni reunion.
In 1980, Pat & Sharon and business partners started Marquette Label Co, merging with Marquette Packaging, which was most famously known for producing the ‘Trivial Pursuit’ cards under high security.
Following his career at Marquette Label, Pat entered into the “violent world of Sales” during which he traveled many road & air miles working for a series of Manufacturing & Packaging companies.
Despite his busy career, Pat was active in his kids’ lives, including coaching baseball, attending weekend-long swim meets (“family vacations”), School Board, college activities, and much more. As his children grew older, and soon after retirement in 2002, Pat began his most rewarding career as ‘Pa’ to his grandchildren. Nearly every day with his kids & grandkids, Pa ended with saying to them “God bless you, I love you, and I’m proud of you.”
Outside of Family, Pat had many hobbies and passions including his cars, building & flying R/C airplanes, attending the annual EAA air show, baseball (including recently watching the Milwaukee Brewers with Sharon), State Fair, Bombay Gin, Kopps Ice Cream, local honey, rare beef, and publishing witty classified ads. One of Pat’s most memorable gifts was story-telling: “If you’ve already heard this story, don’t stop me; I love telling it”.
Although many didn’t know, Pat was strongly religious. Pat often attended services with Sharon at Peace Lutheran Church, and he joined Queen of Apostles Catholic Church later in his life.
Pat made everyone around him smile. He had a zest for life, a perpetually cheerful outlook, and was always laughing. He made the world a better place and will be missed dearly.
A Celebration of Life will be held for Pat on Monday, January 19th at Peace Lutheran Church in Sussex WI. Visitation is from 10:00am to 11:45am, with services following at 12:00. Burial will follow at Pine Lawn Cemetery in Wauwatosa WI at 1:30.
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to one of the above-named churches, or to the Sussex Library (https://phplonline.org/library-foundation).