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Thomas Murphy Foley

| October 25, 2006 11:00 PM

Our beloved "Smilin' Murphy" "passed over the Great Divide" on Oct. 18, 2006.

Murphy was born into a family of nine children on Dec. 9, 1953, the seventh child and second son of Thomas and Edna Rose (Jay) Foley of Martin City.

Murphy was a "Canyon Home Boy" and proud of it. Born in Kalispell, he attended Martin City and Coram Elementary Schools and graduated from Columbia Falls High School in 1972.

Murphy was exceptionally talented. He loved cross country and down hill skiing, mountain climbing, hiking, swimming, golfing, kayaking and all things related to the outdoors and the family ranch. He completely enjoyed his friends and family, the great open spaces of Montana and traveling. Murph liked driving his red Porsche, music, camaraderie, fireworks and good times. His Thursday night volleyball games were always well attended and continued for about 20 years. He was kind, generous, and funny and possessed a certain warmth that made him so very special.

Murphy was a gifted heavy equipment operator and worked on many road projects in Northwest Montana. As an operator he was one with the machine, moving rocks and earth, or maneuvering loads with a skillful touch. He worked for UPS for a decade, and he always had a smile and a friendly word for the people and businesses he was delivering to.

He and his wife Susie raised and trained Newfoundland dogs and founded Black Paws Search and Rescue. Together they operated an Internet business, Montana Company, from their home on Half Moon Lake near West Glacier. It was here they raised their children Chandra, Sabrie and Jesse. Susie died in 2001 after a courageous fight with brain cancer.

Murphy is survived by Chandra, Sabrie and Jesse, as well as his grandchildren, Suzanna and Teavin, and their father Josh.

Murphy's father Tom "Red" Foley, died in 1982.

He is survived by the rest of the Foley clan: his mother, Edna Rose "Jaybird' Foley, of Martin City; and his siblings, Cara Lee of Spokane, Molly Ban and Mike of Los Barriles, Mexico, Hugh and Birgit of Eugene, Ore.; Midge Harkins and Jim of Martin City, Marion Foley and Dana of Martin City, Rosemary Mattick and Ed Casey of Seattle, Doyle and Ginny of Martin City, Kate Foley and John Helton of Martin City; 17 nieces and nephews; and 14 great-nieces and -nephews; more cousins than we can count and many, many friends.

Services for Murphy will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27, at St. Richard's Catholic Church in Columbia Falls with a reception to follow at the church.

An education fund for the children has been set up at the Columbia Falls Glacier Bank. Condolences, thoughts and memories can be sent to: murphsfamily@hotmail.com

"There are those of us who loved you from the day you were born, and there are those of us who have known and loved you along the way. Murphy, you were a beautiful man who touched the hearts of many and we now bid you farewell. You had every gift except the gift of years.'Too-da-loo' and God bless you, Murphy. We love you and always will."