Cliff Moses (left) with his protege Jack Murphy in the pressroom at The Macleod Gazette.
Jack Murphy was remembered last week as a loving and dedicated family man, friend, hockey teammate and newspaper man.
Close to 300 people turned out Thursday to bid farewell to the former owner of The Macleod Gazette during a memorial service at Trinity United Church.
Murphy, who spent 33 years as an employee and owner of the town’s newspaper, died Oct. 13 at the age of 73.
“Fort Macleod has lost one of its prominent supporters,” said Allison Moses, whose father Cliff Moses was Murphy’s mentor and partner.
Murphy was just 19 and boxing groceries in the White Hall Grocery Store when his former math teacher let him know about an opening at the Gazette.
Murphy’s former math teacher, Marg Moses, had an in at the newspaper. Her husband Cliff just happened to be the editor.
Murphy, who was raised in Fort Macleod, found a mentor in Cliff Moses.
Murphy began as the newspaper’s bookkeeper, later became a printer, ad salesman and reporter.
In 1975 Cliff Moses convinced Murphy to become his partner so they could buy the Gazette from the Jessup family.
The two partners guided the paper through technological changes that went from hot lead to cold type and finally to desktop publishing.
“He ran the gamut in the weekly newspaper industry, from hot metal to Compugraphic to computers, always working to make the Gazette one of the best weekly newspapers in Alberta,” Allison Moses said.
“He would never ask his employees to do anything he wouldn’t do, and would very seldom say no to anyone, even if it meant adding a couple of hours to an already 14-hour day.”
When Cliff Moses died, Murphy formed a partnership with Allison Moses, and eventually became sole owner.
“Jack worked tirelessly, often overnight, to make sure the paper was published on time, no matter what,” Allison Moses said.
In 2006, the Alberta Weekly Newspapers Association honoured Murphy with a prestigious Silver Quill, which recognizes outstanding contributions to the Alberta newspaper industry over a period of at least 25 years.
In 2001 Murphy sold the newspaper to Frank and Emily McTighe to spend more time with his family and continued to operate Great Impressions Printing from his home. He later went to work for Bouvry Exports.
Although the newspaper required much of his attention, Murphy always made time for the other passion in his life: his family.
Murphy married Florence DeRosier in 1968 and they raised three children, Rhonda, Jeff and Andrew.
“As much as the Gazette meant to Jack, his family meant even more,” Allison Moses said. “Florence, Rhonda, Jeff and Andrew were his port in a storm.”
Murphy supported his children in their endeavours, coaching soccer hockey and baseball and volunteering with Cubs and Scouts.
Granddaughter Dakota Goulet, who gave Murphy’s eulogy, recalled the many great times with Jack, who loved spending time with his grandkids and taking them on excursions such as hiking in Waterton and exploring the river valley.
“I will miss his wit, his kindness and the love he had for us,” Goulet said. “I’m so grateful to have had him as my grandpa.”
Murray Sontag was one of Murphy’s teammates on the oldtimers hockey team, the Withdrawals.
“Jack loved his team, and all of us loved to have Jack on our team,” Sontag said. “He was a tenacious worker out on the ice, and off the ice.”
Sontag said with a chuckle that Murphy was also the team’s “beer man” and the Withdrawals couldn’t do without him.
As for hockey stories, Sontag stuck to a promise made by his teammates that what happened in the dressing room, stayed in the dressing room.
“Jack was the heart and soul,” Sontag said. “He got everything going.”
