Bertram Murphy

Bertram Hugh Murphy, the only child of Kimmie Irene Murphy and Bertram Smith Murphy, died on March 20, 2013, with his family at his bedside. He was born on January 13, 1927, during a snowstorm in Ola, Arkansas at his maternal grandparents home built by his grandfather, a clapboard house without electricity or running water.

In 1933, his parents moved from Eldorado, Arkansas to California and Arizona where he attended public schools in Alhambra, California and Douglas, Arizona. In the years from 1939 and 1945, Murphy worked parttime after school as a clerk, warehouseman, gas station manager and truck driver for his fathers oil companies in Arkansas, California and Arizona. This honed his strong work ethic, awakened his intense love for travel and adventure, and gave him very precious time with his Dad who preceded him in death at the early age of 46 in 1946.

Murphys mother was a very inspirational figure in his life. She returned to work after his fathers death to help support their small family. She was unwavering in her encouragement of his educational goals. Her courage and good character were pivotal in Murphys lifelong motto, wellknown to his family and many friends:

Ride hard, shoot straight, and never tell a lie.

Murphy shared a profound dedication to the Boy Scouts of America with his own father who was his scout master. He attained the honor of Eagle Scout in 1941 at the young age of 14. He deeply loved the scouting tradition of honor, bravery and kindness. He served as a scout master and both of his sons, Mark and Matt, are Eagle Scouts. He took great happiness in his grandson Jets, attainment of Eagle, uniting three generations of Murphy men under the Eagle Scout banner.

Murphy attended high school at Alhambra High School where he met his lifelong sweetheart, Martha Ruth Redding. Their first date took place on Murphys eighteenth birthday. He married his beloved Martha in 1949 after returning from the Army Air Corps to join her at Stanford University.

Theirs was a blessed partnership in every sense of the word. They spent 70 devoted years together, enjoying their priorities of raising their children building Murphys businesses dedicating themselves to service to others and especially to charities focused on children and education traveling as far afield as Alaska, the Bahamas, Britain, Colombia, Egypt, France, Ireland and Scotland writing books together and, pursuing their passion for reading in their lifelong pursuit of knowledge.

Murphy was very patriotic and served his countrys armed forces beginning at an early age. Many family and friends served in World War II, and he never forgot the sacrifice of those fallen, especially his 22 yearold cousin, First Lt. James Matthews, a navigator who participated in The Doolittle Raid on Tokyo, and was later killed during the Aleutian Campaign by Japanese antiaircraft fire over Adak Island, AK.

Murphy graduated from high school in 1945, serving as Senior Vice President of his class, and Commanding Officer of the High School Cadet Corps, a California State Guard Affiliate. In 1944, at age 17, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps at Douglas Air Base as an Aviation Cadet. He served as a noncommissioned officer until the end of WW II.

When Murphy returned from the service, he followed his fiance, Martha, to Stanford University, where he majored in Petroleum Engineering. He completed his studies utilizing the G.I. Bill in just 3 years and a quarter, graduating with a B.S. degree in 1950. Martha and Bert married during his senior year at Stanford on March 21, 1949 at the Church of Our Savior in San Gabriel, California, where one of the more faithful parishioners was General George S. Patton, Jr.

Murphys commitment to Stanford University and his dedication to helping others achieve their education never faltered. In 1978, Murphy reorganized The Stanford Petroleum Investment Funds a thendormant legacy portfolio of oil and gas properties with the goal of supporting energy and environmental education and other programs for Stanford students. Chaired by Murphy from 1980 to 1985, with a strategic plan consistent with his vision and instinctive business skills, the Funds have continued to thrive.

During college, Murphy worked in the oil and gas business in Southern California as a roustabout and student drilling engineer with Continental Oil Company now Conoco. After college, with a number of rapid promotions, Murphy and his bride relocated to West Texas where Murphy served as reservoir and evaluation engineer for Signal Oil and Gas Company, Chief Engineer for F. Kirk Johnson and President of Waterflood Associates. Murphys career progressed rapidly and he became known for his expertise and knowledge of waterflood technology.

Inspired by his fathers entrepreneurial spirit and his mothers determined independence, Murphy moved his offices and his growing family to New Mexico in the early 1960s where he built a number of successful oil and gas companies including Murphy Minerals Corporation, Murphy Energy Corporation and Murphy Operating Corporation.

He cared deeply for his many employees, and his four children and his wife, who over the years joined him in building his businesses. From 1961 to 1996, he maintained formal offices in Artesia, Roswell and Denver. He was a registered professional engineer in New Mexico and Texas, maintained a private pilots license, a number of professional scuba diving certifications and was a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association. He was known to throw a lively Fourth of July party with his 1976 Bicentennial Celebration being especially memorable.

Throughout his lifetime, Murphy was steadfast in his commitment to his country and he continued to serve his country in many ways. He served in the US Naval Reserve as a Line Officer during the Korean War. He was a confidant and advisor to Senators, Congressmen, Governors and military leaders Special Advisor to the Governor as Chairman of the NM Department of Military Affairs Assistant Adjutant General of New Mexico a member of the New Mexico State Armory Board and, a member of the Defense Orientation Conference Association DOCA. At his retirement from the New Mexico State Defense Force in which he had a leading role in building, he was promoted from Brigadier General to Major General.

Murphy had a genuine interest and profound love for America and the American West. He loved camping in the desert under the night sky cowboying at his ranches in Hudspeth County, Texas, and Taos, New Mexico and, trailfinding with Martha out in the wild country. He wrote poetry and, bymemory, could recite long ballads from Rudyard Kipling and Robert Service. He had a passion for and thorough grasp of many subjects geology, hydrology, western and military history, astronomy and mapmaking, to name just a few.

Murphy communicated well with everyone, and worked hard during his lifetime to become bilingual, once addressing the Colombian War College Corps of Cadets in Spanish. He would spin spellbinding tales by fireside for friends and family. As a gifted writer, he left a legacy of his fascinating trails and stories in his series of books, Trailing Louis LAmour, and in other books and dozens of magazine articles he authored.

Murphy was a loving and inspirational husband, father, grandfather, uncle and friend who encouraged his much adored children, grandchildren, nephews and friends in all of their endeavors. He lived his life by The Golden Rule and taught his children that, by giving, they were in fact the actual recipients. It was a wonderful and fun adventure growing up with Murphy as Dad, Bapa and Bert.

Visitation

Ballard Funeral Home
910 S. Main
Roswell, NM  88203
Thursday, March 21, 2013
4:00 to 7:00 pm

Service

Graveside

South Park Cemetery
3101 S. Main St.
Roswell, NM  88203
Friday, March 22, 2013
2:00 pm

Cemetery

South Park Cemetery
3101 S. Main St.
Roswell, NM  88203

Memorial Contributions

1000 E. 18th St.
Roswell, NM  88201


2603 North Aspen
Roswell, NM  88201


101 Mitchell Bldg., 397 Panama Mall Stanford University
Stanford, CA  94305