I met Bill through his lovely wife Carmen many years ago,
when my husband Eduardo and I started attending church at Centro de Vida. From then on our acquaintance with Bill quickly turned into a friendship that led us into a Christian mentorship/leadership group. Then eventually Bill became like a father figure as well. Little did I know at first that I would have the blessing and honor of a relationship with this great man and also have the blessed feeling of the unconditional love of a father.
Bill was a Godly man who loved the Lord with all his heart and soul. He came to Christ and was transformed, and all the good qualities he already possessed turned into the greatest blessings for others. He lived to serve others, serving first his Lord and savior, then his beloved wife and then his spiritual children and the bride of Christ His church. He helped so many over the years to become better human beings and taught them to have a servants heart as well.
This man had a humble heart of gold and shared the best of everything he had with so many! He taught me to be grateful and thankful, to respect others and love them unconditionally. He taught me to keep my word, to be kind and to be helpful and he taught me to be forgiving. But all this is worth mentioning because he taught it through his testimony. Or in other words he walked what he talked about. He did what he said. And I am a better person because I had the great honor of knowing him.
Once when my husband had to be out of town during our anniversary, Bill arranged through a fundraiser at our church, to have the flowers they were selling given to me on Eduardo’s behalf. He even wrote an endearing and thoughtful note wishing me a Happy Anniversary and I found out much later it wasn’t even Eduardo. Bill never told me that he bought those flowers either. The world needs more Bill Murphy’s! Selfless men worthy of praise and who are worth emulating and imitating. His legacy is that when he said it he meant it, and I hold it dear to my heart that he told me he was proud of me and that he loved me.
I will miss him greatly, and I cannot imagine a world without Bill in it, but it’s impossible not to be overjoyed at the thought of him in the presence of God, chuckling and singing and praising the God whom he gave his life to.
I’m so grateful that he did too and that he was a part of mine and my families lives. Truly you have blessed me Bill. You have blessed us all. God bless you and rest in peace.
