Born on March 14, 1938 in Yonkers, NY, John passed away December 27, 2023 in Allentown NJ.

Raised in Yonkers, he had fond childhood memories which included many happy summers working on his uncle's farm in New Brunswick, Canada with his brother Richard.  John attended Riverdale Preparatory School, where he was quarterback of the football team and played on the basketball team. He graduated from Riverdale as Valedictorian and Scholar Athlete of the Year.  He went on to earn his undergraduate degree from Princeton University, followed by his medical degree from Columbia Medical School and PhD in neurophysiology from McGill University.

John's career in medicine spanned both academic research and clinical medicine. He initially embarked on a career in academic medicine, advancing to Professor and Chairman of Neurophysiology at University of Toronto.  Among his many academic contributions, John authored over 90 research publications.   In 1980, John took the unusual step of transitioning to clinical medicine, entering a residency in neurology at age 42. He was a consulting neurologist at Toronto General Hospital and in 1987 moved into private practice in Barrie, Ontario, Canada.

He and his wife Barbara raised their family in Toronto.  After his retirement he moved to Maryland, followed by New Hampshire, and most recently to New Jersey to be closer to family.

John loved nature and the outdoors, and he spent many wonderful hours hiking, sailing, skiing, and taking his wife and four young children on camping trips through the Canadian wilderness. John was a lifelong learner and spent considerable time reading and educating himself about topics that interested him, including mathematics and economics.  He also loved music and was an accomplished pianist in his youth.

Son of the late Albert and Jeanette Murphy, he was predeceased by his son Richard Murphy and his brother Richard Murphy. John is survived by his loving wife of 62 years, Barbara; his daughter Cara (Peter) Barlis and children Alyssa (Daniel), Julia (Ralph), and Katherine "Katie", his daughter-in-law Tecla Murphy and children Paul and Adeline, his daughter Seanna (Derek) Johnston and son William, and his son John (Claire) Murphy and children Caroline, Richard "RJ", and Edward "Teddy", as well as several nieces and nephews.

A service will be held at 2:00 PM on January 5, 2024 at Allentown Presbyterian Church on 20 High Street, Allentown, NJ 08501.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in John's name to Parkinson's Foundation at www.parkinson.org.

Arrangements are under the direction of Peppler Funeral Home, Allentown.