Thursday, January 2, 2025
I grew up in the Valley on Normanor Drive in Melvin Acres. I went to Van Duyn elementary school and as a young boy I have such fond memories of going to Murphy's Drug store to buy penny candy from Mr. Murphy. I can still remember the layout of the store and can remember how I delighted in filling up a brown paper sack with my few cents worth of candy. When report cards came out he would always smile and ask me how I did on the report card. He would offer me a free candy if I passed. The drug store was a staple for our family. In the late 60's, before the big box stores arrived (Faye's up at Green Hills Shopping Center), Mr. Murphy's Drug store was our "go to" pharmacy. Mr. Murphy was always a solid and enduring presence in my childhood. I can still vividly recall the smell of the store, the medicinal smell, mingled with the smell of colognes, ointments, and sweets. It remains indelibly etched in my memories. I didn't realize how rich and full his life was until I read this obituary. Here I am, a man in my mid 60's, living in Seattle, still thinking about how Mr. Murphy made such an impression on a young boy. My parents also trusted Mr. Murphy with his medical advice and his competent pharmaceutical expertise. Rest in peace John Murphy. You made a huge impression.
In Loving Memory of John Murphy
Pharmacist, Mentor, Friend
Murphys Drug Store, Syracuse NY
John Murphy was more than just the pharmacist at Murphys Drug Store on Valley Drive—he was a beacon of kindness in our Syracuse community during the 1960s. Behind his pharmacy counter, he dispensed not only medicine but also warmth and understanding that touched countless young lives, including my own.
Every afternoon, as children trudged home from school, his store became a sanctuary of simple pleasures. Mr. Murphy's gentle demeanor and reassuring smile welcomed each young customer who came through his doors, turning routine stops for candy into moments of connection that would be remembered decades later.
His legacy lives on in the memories of those neighborhood children, now grown, who learned from his example that small acts of kindness can leave lasting impressions. The way he treated each child with dignity and warmth showed us what it meant to be a true pillar of the community.
Time may have passed, but the warmth of Mr. Murphy's smile remains undimmed in our hearts. His store was more than a business—it was a cornerstone of childhood memories in the Valley, and he was more than a pharmacist—he was a guardian of our community's well-being.
May he rest in peace, knowing that his gentle spirit and kindness created ripples that continue to touch lives, even now.
3180 Bellevue Avenue