Joseph P. Murphy, at 81; was veterans rights activist

Joseph P. Murphy was recognized this year for his record of public service when he was named chief marshal of the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in South Boston.

Joseph P. Murphy, chief marshal in this year's St. Patrick's Day Parade in South Boston and a longtime activist for veterans' rights, died Saturday in his Braintree home of heart failure. He was 81.

Mr. Murphy grew up in South Boston and later lived in Milton. As a teenager, Mr. Murphy joined the Navy and served in the Pacific during World War II.

In 1946, he was honorably discharged after several years of service.

As commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #561 in South Boston, Mr. Murphy led the effort to establish the South Boston World War II Veterans Memorial, which was unveiled in 2004. In recent years, Mr. Murphy worked to add marble benches to the area in honor of influential South Boston veterans. A memorial will be unveiled Sunday in honor of William "Doc" Reid, a Navy veteran.

Mr. Murphy was active with the VFW until his last days, said his son, Joseph M. of Quincy.

"He was very vibrant and highly involved," his son said.

In March, he was recognized for his record of public service when he was named chief marshal for the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade.

"Oh God, he loved it," said John Mullen, Mr. Murphy's longtime friend and right-hand man at the Fitzgerald VFW Post. "We were in the car together and getting the people going, clapping and hollering, and he had this big smile on his face, all the way through."

Although Mr. Murphy was most active in his work honoring World War II veterans, he was grateful for the service of all military men and women, his son said.

"Veteran rights was a major topic in his life with the memorial and everything," his son said. "Any time political candidates would talk to him, the first thing out of his mouth would be, 'Don't forget the veterans."'

His son said Mr. Murphy was especially proud of his grand-nephew, Tim Murphy, who recently served in Iraq.

"He spoke for all of them," his son said. "Whether it be past or present, doesn't matter."

Mr. Murphy worked at the Boston Housing Authority for nearly 30 years, where he began his career as a plumber. He was later appointed to a management position at the Housing Authority. He was also active in the Boston Plumbers Local #12.

"He was always up early, getting things done," his son said. "He was always busy, going from one thing to the next. He was like that 'til the day he died. He was working on a committee as he fell ill and was always looking to help out the next cause."

In addition to having a passion for civic service and veterans rights, Mr. Murphy was described as a kind-hearted and thoughtful individual who went out of his way to help people.

Mr. Murphy once spent a day off driving around Massachusetts with a woman he barely knew from a Housing Authority development to find her mentally-ill brother, his son said.

"He was always trying to help others," Mullen said. "We had been friends for 20-some-odd years. We've got tons of pictures, and we ate tons of corned beef. I had such great, great memories. I was so fortunate to have a pal of such a high caliber."

In addition to his son, Mr. Murphy leaves his wife of 48 years, Carol Jean (Ryan) of Braintree; a daughter, Allison of Abington; two sisters, Veronica (Murphy) Barrett and Anna, both of South Boston; and three grandchildren.

A funeral Mass will be said at 10 a.m. today at Gate of Heaven Church in South Boston. Burial will be at Milton Cemetery.