Obituary
James “Jim” Murphy passed away on Dec. 6, 2024 at the age of 83 following a brief battle with pancreatic cancer. He was surrounded by his loving family and friends at Cornerstone Hospice in The Villages at the time of his passing.
Jim was born and raised on Long Island, NY and graduated from Hofstra University with a Mechanical Engineering degree. After working in the defense industry on Long Island he relocated to Connecticut to work for General Dynamics Electric Boat company. At that time Jim’s wife Ann-Marie traveled the art circuit on weekends in the New England area. With Ann-Marie’s encouragement Jim decided to make a hobby of photography into a business alongside Ann-Marie. It was a big success.
When Ann-Marie passed away in 1995 Jim decided to retire from Electric Boat to do art shows full time and divided his time doing shows in the north in the summer months and south in the winter. While doing art shows in the Ft. Lauderdale area Jim was fortunate enough to meet his loving wife Caren and married in 1999.
With Caren’s enthusiastic support Jim’s photography blossomed. They traveled to Europe to expand his subject inventory and he gained a wide audience for his pictures taken in Italy and Ireland.
Jim and Caren scaled down the number of art shows when they purchased their home in the Village of Caroline in 2006 and retired from the circuit in 2013 to fully enjoy all The Villages had to offer.
One of Jim’s first clubs to join was The Villages Woodworking club. Jim loved working with wood and created many beautiful pieces. Of the many clubs and activities he was involved in, woodworking was his favorite. He always found time to play pickleball, canasta, pinochle and bid euchre.
Jim was a hands-on kind of person and got very involved with water volleyball at Lake Miona. He was the Ambassador for part of 2022 and all of 2023. In addition Jim maintained all of the WVB equipment at LM.
Jim was truly a renaissance man using his artistic and mechanical skills to offer help and advice to neighbors, friends and family. Some of us were lucky to be his neighbor, friend or sibling.
Jim was preceded in death by his first wife Ann-Marie and his son James Joseph. He is survived by his loving wife Caren Druda Murphy and daughter Erin (Brad) Smith; grandchildren Tommy and Abigail; stepsons Scott and Michael Wasson; step grandchildren Delilah and CJ; brother Charles (Andrea Murphy; sisters Christine (Michael) Quinn, and Mary Lynn Lubin.
Above all, Jim was a man who loved his family and cherished friends. For those of us who were fortunate enough to love him as a husband, a dad, a brother, or a friend we will forever cherish the memory and blessings he brought to us all.
We will never forget his dry humor and wit.
There will be a celebration of life on Jan. 4, 2025 at 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM at Lake Miona Recreation.
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