It is with deep sorrow and much love that we mourn the passing of Samuel King Murphy. Sam passed away on the 9th of November in Panama City, Florida at the age of 81.  Sam was born in Alabama in March of 1943 to parents Joseph Hanson and Miriam Corrine.  A few years later Sam, his brother James and parents moved to Sheffield, Alabama where Sam attended and graduated Sheffield High School.  While in Sheffield, Sam enjoyed adventures in the woods near his home and on the Tennessee river.  During this time, Sam made many great friends with whom he remained close throughout his life. He also developed a love of music, playing bongo drums and acoustic guitar with his friends. Reportedly, he was once invited to join the now famous local backup band known as the "Swampers".

After high school, Sam attended Auburn University.  During a break from college, he worked briefly on The Naches Trace Parkway and met his wife Marsha while singing in the Russell Erskine Hotel in Huntsville. Also, during his college years, Sam enlisted in the United States Army Reserve.

On completing his bachelor's degree in Aviation Management, Sam and his wife moved to Dallas, Texas to begin his career in purchasing for defense contractors.  In Dallas, Sam and Marsha had their two boys, Sean and Kristopher.

Throughout his life, Sam developed a strong love of the water, first canoeing the Tennessee river, then sailing on White Rock Lake, and finally living on the Gulf of Mexico. In the mid 70's he and his family moved to a waterfront home in Treasure Island, Florida.  There Sam bought a small sailboat and outfitted her under the name "Siva" while taking correspondence classes in boat design.

Sam's career eventually took the family far from the water, all the way north, to Ft. Wayne, Indiana where he lived for several years. But his love for the water drew him back, and he eventually returned to Tallahassee, Florida where he acquired "Wind Rose," his 36ft Catalina sailboat which he kept near the mouth of the St. Marks River.  Unfortunately, the shallow waters of the Big Bend did not satisfy Sam's affections for open water sailing. So, a few years later he established second home on beautiful Maslina Bayou in Panama City near his cousin Terry and moved "Wind Rose" to where he could see her from his windows and sail her in St. Andrew Bay. Sam spent his retirement visiting with his children and grand kids, working on "Wind Rose," and making new friends while adventure traveling around the globe. His travels included visits to far off places like China, New Zealand, and Chile but his crowning achievement for which he was most proud, was his great adventure crossing the equator in the Atlantic Ocean, and traveling all the way from Santander, Spain to Ushuaia, Argentina on the Bark Europa, a three masted sailing ship originally built in 1911.

Sam is survived by his brother Jim (Judy), son Sean (Michelle) and Kris (Dorea), and grandchildren Kiera and Ryan, McKinley and Brendan as well as an extended family and many dear friends.  A seaside memorial will be held to celebrate his life on Saturday the 16th of November in Panama City.  Another will be held in Shefield, Alabama at a later date to be determined. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations be made to any nature supportive charities such as the Audubon Society or Nature Conservancy in Sam's honor, reflecting his deep love for nature and the environment.