Stephen Mulville Murphy

Dr. Stephen Mulville Murphy, MD, DDS, 88, of Moraga, California passed suddenly and peacefully on June 24, 2022, at John Muir Hospital in Walnut Creek, CA. Survivors include a blended family of five children, Carl Murphy, Andrew Murphy, Scott Webber, Lynn (Webber) Molloy and Noel Murphy (Fowler); their spouses and 15 grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 44 years, Theodora (Teddy) Platt Murphy, his parents Dr. William and Gertrude Murphy, and his brothers Anthony, Jerome and Nicholas Murphy. Surviving brothers are Quentin and Thomas Gregory Murphy. Steve was born on January 27, 1934 and raised in Pelham, New York. He graduated from Pelham High School, Colgate University, Columbia University School of Dentistry and Albany Medical College in New York State; practicing dentistry in Albany, NY while working his way through medical school. He married his first wife Gretchen Ann (Rohrbach) Murphy in May 1959. Shortly after completing his residency in plastic surgery and joining a private medical practice, he was drafted by the U.S. Army in 1968. He completed basic training for medical officers at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas before reporting to his ultimate duty station, Letterman General Hospital on the Presidio of San Francisco. While stationed at the Presidio he repaired the disfiguring battle injuries of numerous Soldiers returning from the Vietnam War and pioneered procedures to minimize scarring in reconstructive surgery for African-American patients, as well as developing innovative methods for the reconstruction of earlobes using a silicone cored prosthesis covered in grafted skin. Following his Army service, he joined an existing medical practice in Concord, California and later started his own plastic and reconstructive surgery practice there. He and Gretchen were divorced in 1975. Steve retained custody of their three children. On April 30, 1977 Steve married Teddy, also a divorcee with children. Steve often said Teddy was the love of his life. Together they formed, forged, and reveled in their blended family, and grandchildren, over the following four decades. From 1985-86 Steve also served as the Chief of Surgery for Mount Diablo Hospital in Concord, CA where his dual training in dentistry and medicine made him the surgeon of choice for reconstruction of traumatic facial injuries and soft palate repair. He retired from medicine in 1996. An avid reader and tennis player, he loved history, taking courses for fun at both Saint Mary's College in Moraga, CA and the University of California Berkeley, as well as hitting the tennis courts frequently well into his 70's. He was also a BMW aficionado, buying his first, a fire engine red Bavaria, in 1974, and keeping his third, for over twenty years before bequeathing it to a grandson with a new license. He also loved managing his own investments. Steve was devoted to his country, his friends, and his family.