J. M. Murphy, police chief of Norwood (photo credit: Lieutenant Brian P. Murphy)

Norwood Police Chief James M. Murphy, 54, died yesterday at Norwood Hospital, where he was admitted Thanksgiving Day cfter a heart attack.

Chief Murphy, a Norwood police officer for 33 years and police chief for 10 years, was one of the state’s youngest police chiefs when appointed in 1963.

A funeral Mass will be said at 10 a.m. Monday at St. Catherine’s Church in Norwood.

Burial will be in Highland Cemetery, Norwood.

He was a participant in many law enforcement organizations, was a graduate of the FBI Academy and Northeastern University.

Among the chief’s many awards and honors were the American Legion Law and Order Citation as “outstanding police officer of 1967” and the Lawrence D. Sullivan award presented by the Law Enforcement and Criminology School of Northeastern University.

He was named Citizen of the Year in 1966 by the Norwood Lion’s Club and was appointed in 1967 to State Atty. Gen. Elliot Richardson’s advisory committee on police problems.

During World War II he served in the Marine Corps. His eldest son, Marine Cpl. Richard B. Murphy, was killed in Vietnam in 1968.

He leaves his wife, Regina M. (Leffler); seven sons, James M. Jr., William J.. Brian P., John T. and Paul C., all of Norwood. Kevin E. of Walpole and Pvt. Thomas G. Murphy, USMC, stationed at Camp Lejune, N.C., and two daughters. Shiela Murphy of Norwood and Marine Pvt. Maureen P. Murphy, stationed at Parris Island, N.C.

Sat, Nov 24, 1973 – 25 · The Boston Globe (Boston, Massachusetts)

Tags: American, American Legion, Boston, Boston Globe, church, Day, funeral, funeral mass, Highland Cemetery, James M, James M. Murphy, Jr, Marine Corps, Norwood, Norwood Hospital, norwood Police, Norwood Police Chief, Norwood Police Department, School, St. Catherine’s Church, Thanksgiving, This Day In Norwood History, USMC, vietnam, World War I, World War II

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