Francis Murphy, of Southold, dies at 81

For nearly half a century, Francis Murphy - everyone called him Frank - has been an important part of the town of Southold, where he served as town supervisor for six years and was involved in many community organizations.

But Murphy, 81, also left a bit of a mystery when, his family said, he died suddenly of a heart attack Sunday: Two Bronze Stars and two Purple Hearts he earned during the Korean War.

"He enlisted in the Army, and he went to Officer Candidate School, then he taught others at the school," said his daughter, Liza. "He didn't speak in much detail about the things he did to win these decorations . . . he rescued some people and was wounded in the process. They were under fire."

Born in the Bronx, Murphy started coming to Southold each summer when he was 2 years old. His father, a lawyer, worked in Manhattan, and would come out for the weekends.

Murphy met his wife, Betty, because she lived around the corner from their Bronx home. She was 12 when they met. They were married for 53 years.

After the war, Murphy went to work for the Vaughn Seed Company in Manhattan and studied accounting at night. He moved to Mattituck after graduating from what was then Farmingdale Agricultural and Technical College, opening the Frank Murphy Garden Center and Landscaping in Mattituck in 1955.

Murphy was one of the first commissioners in the Mattituck Park District. He served for more than a decade on the Laurel School Board.

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He lost his first town board race in 1979. He later served three two-year terms as town supervisor, from 1983 to 1989.

from 7 to 9 p.m. and Thursday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. A funeral Mass will be said Friday at 10 a.m. at Our Lady of Good Counsel R.C. Church in Mattituck, and burial will follow at Calverton National Cemetery.