of Little Rock, AR

December 30, 1939 - February 4, 2026

Jim (Harold) Murphy was born December 30, 1939, in Saginaw Michigan.

He joined the Navy in 1959 and served as a radarman on the Charles P. Cecil destroyer for four years on the Mediterranean Sea and visited many of the surrounding countries. His was the ship that captured a Russian nuclear submarine, and he described being close enough to see the whites of the Russians eyes when they stood on the deck of the raised submarine. History has proven that the good sense of the crewmen of both vessels prevented a nuclear war from starting.

Jim spent another two years in the Navy reserves while attending Northern Michigan University in the upper peninsula and graduating with degrees in metallurgy and business administration. He described the snow being deep enough to walk on top of it into a second story window, and it stayed so cold that people used their cars as their food freezers. He also knew how to survive on porcupine meat if the need arose.

After college, he worked for the Buick foundry where he quickly rose through the ranks to management. He held records for the longest period of time for zero man hours hurt on the job while increasing production and raising the standards for the plant. Jim was known to chase down workers who did not show up for work even if it meant running by foot from their houses back to the plant.

As a result of his work at the foundry, he was recruited to be the assistant director of finance for the State of Illinois. He knew how to read and understand financial statements, and when he went on to become the director of vehicles, he uncovered fraud and the misuse of funds that saved the state millions of dollars.

When a new governor was elected and Jim was replaced, he went on to work for Arthur Young and Company, a big eight accounting firm, as a management consultant where he specialized in improving the efficiency and effectiveness of operations of government agencies and companies. The firm relied heavily on Jim's ability to recruit organizations to improve their overall performances. During his tenure there, he created a program budgeting system first used by the American Dental Association.

Jim was asked to come to Fayetteville to evaluate the viability of Arthur Young and Company establishing a management consulting division in northwest Arkansas. After just a short time in this state, he decided he preferred to live down south where the winters are milder, and he could eat fried okra and catfish fillets not offered in the north.

That is where he met his bride to be, Marlene, who swooped him off his feet, but he got even with her by moving her to the Mississippi delta, where he managed, built and consulted with catfish companies over a 10-year period and went on to have an accomplished career as the director of economic development for Sunflower County Mississippi. One of his achievements was luring Dollar General to build an 850,000 ft.² distribution center in Indianola, Mississippi, which employees 500 people.

Besides telling stories and jokes to most anyone who would listen, Jim was a gentleman farmer who loved to watch and interact with his miniature donkeys, goats, ducks, geese, peacocks, dogs, cats, and deer. He never sat alone in a chair, because at least one of those animals was always in his lap.

Jim was blessed with three successful and independent children; retired nurse and FBI agent Jennifer Murphy, Dr. Karen Murphy, International Director of Facing History and Ourselves, and real estate agent Patrick Murphy.

Jim had many adventures throughout the years which led him to his adoring wife, Marlene Murphy, of 38 years and many close friends, all of whom loved him and enjoyed his company. He really enjoyed talking and tell his stories, and he brought color to everyone's life he touched.

Sadly Jim passed away on February 4, 2026, and will be sorely missed but happily remembered.

A celebration of his life will be conducted on Saturday, February 14, 2026, at the Chenal Roller Funeral Home in Little Rock, Arkansas, with a reception to follow in the Garden Room. Everyone is invited to attend.

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