Richard Murphy

Albany- Richard P. Murphy, 69, beloved father, son and brother passed away after a long struggle with leukemia on Saturday, November 16, 2024. Rich was the son of Mary Lourdes (Cosenke) Flanagan and the late Robert A. Murphy.

Rich was a lifelong Capital Region resident. He grew up in Menands and attended St. Gregory's School in Loudonville and the Cranwell Preparatory School in Lenox, Massachusetts. He graduated with a BA from SUNY Albany. He received the Herbert S. Lehman Fellowship for graduate study in public policy, with which he pursued a Masters of Public Administration from SUNY Albany, graduating summa cum laude in 1978.

Rich was a proud employee of the New York State Assembly for his whole professional career. After finishing his graduate degree, he began as a research assistant with the Assembly staff for the Administrative Regulations Review Commission; he advanced within ARRC to the position of Program Manager, which he held through the end of his life.

Rich was possessed of an incisive intellect, which was apparent from an early age. As a child he won the regional spelling bee twice and attended the national spelling bee in Washington, D.C. Rich was fiercely independent. He held a deep love for animals and children. He was a lover of all kinds of music, an adventurous cook, a highly competitive Scrabble player, and a committed fan of the San Diego Padres. One of his favorite things to do was take his faithful canine companion Maddie on walks around the neighborhood. He was an enthusiastic gardener and would regale his family with updates on the produce that the squirrels had made off with since they'd last talked. Rich will be remembered as a kind and gentle soul with a wonderful sense of humor.

In addition to his mother, Rich is survived by his son, Rory (Emma Kipniss) and daughter, Megan; his siblings Robert (Paula), Patricia, Eileen, and James (Susan); a multitude of nieces and nephews; and his ex-wife Marybeth Hassett, with whom he shared custody of Maddie.

In addition to his father, Rich was predeceased by his mother's husband, Richard Flanagan.

Relatives and friends are invited to visit with Rich's family from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 1, 2024, at the W.J. Lyons, Jr. Funeral Home, 1700 Washington Ave. Rensselaer, NY 12144. A Memorial Mass will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, December 2, 2024, at the Church of St. Vincent de Paul, 900 Madison Ave. Albany, NY 12208.

In lieu of flowers, Rich's family kindly requests donations to the rescue organization Out of the Pits, Inc., P.O. Box 2311 Albany, NY 12220, so that other families may share in the joy that Maddie brought him as a rescue dog.