My family met George when my father Capt. David B. Murphy USMC transferred from Quantico, VA to Waterbury, CT as a recruiter in 1970. I think we both lived in the same apartment complex and that must have been how they met. My family moved away from Naugatuck in 1993.
My father and George had very much in common, with a deep understanding and appreciation for history, politics, and of course the Marine Corps. George would stop by our house from time to time, and they would talk for hours.
I also had the experience of having George as a substitute teacher at Naugatuck High School one time. It was one of the funniest moments of my high school years. It was study hall and we had a prankster that thought he was going to pull one over on George. I was the only one who knew the real George and remember saying to myself "This is going to be interesting".
So this went back and forth between the two of them for about 20 minutes, until George called his bluff and the kid ran as fast as he could out of the class room. The whole classroom was laughing non stop and I think we all learned a valuable lesson too, all in good fun.
My father told me many hilarious stories about George throughout my life and I am sure they were all true.
I always admired George and the world was a better place because of him.
My deepest sympathies to George and his family.
I will never forget him.
Respectfully,
Sean Murphy
