Bert Murphy

Bert A. Murphy, 85, of Davenport, Iowa, passed away on Friday, August 28, 2020 at the Bickford Assisted Living Home in Davenport.

A private family memorial service will be held at McGinnis-Chambers Funeral Home in Bettendorf.  For extended family and friends, a celebration of life will be held at a later date.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Asbury United Methodist Church in Bettendorf or Reading is Fundamental.

Bert was born on January 24, 1935 in Chicago, Illinois, the son of Bert and Helen Murphy.  On June 26, 1960, he was united in marriage to Patricia L. Murphy in Centerville, Iowa.  Bert earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education from the University of Iowa and was a high school science teacher for more than forty years.  He taught in Madrid, Iowa for several years before moving to the Quad Cities, where he taught for many decades at Pleasant Valley High School.  Bert belonged to the Free Masons and also a member of Asbury United Methodist Church, where he attended Bible study with the A.R.M.S. Group.

Those left to honor his memory are sons Todd (Beth) Murphy of Fairfax, Virginia, Matthew (Lorena) Murphy of LeClaire, Iowa; grandchildren, Matthew II, Madeline, Rachel, and Megan Murphy; brother-in-law, Jim Houser of Perry, Georgia; nieces and nephews, Paula (Biff) Franks of McLean, Virginia, Kelly (Tom) Jerosch of Falls Church, Virginia, Chad (Christa) Houser of Hiawassee, Georgia, Kurt (Allyson) Houser of Dunwoody, Georgia.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife Patricia L. Murphy; a daughter in infancy, Michelle; his sister Marilyn Owen, brother-in-law Donald Owen, and his sister-in-law, Cyndi Houser.