Martin Joseph Murphy, Jr.

Marty Murphy, a former candidate for city commissioner and longtime volunteer and advocate for North Port, died Monday morning from aggressive liver and bone cancer that he was diagnosed with exactly three weeks ago, according to his family. ""He was a good and honest person,"" said Dolores Pataky, 85, a self-proclaimed ""adoptive mom"" of Murphy, 72, who met him through volunteering with the North Port ""Noon"" Kiwanis Club. ""I loved him like a son."" Eileen Murphy, his wife of 34 years, said the cancer quickly spread throughout his body. Murphy was admitted to Tidewell Hospice in Port Charlotte July 8, and he died Monday around 11:30 a.m. Originally from New York, Murphy graduated from Cardinal Hayes High School in Bronx, N.Y., and took labor law courses while working for Pan American Airways. He served in the U.S. Army from 1961 to 1963, then worked for Pan Am airlines for nearly 20 years before starting his own trucking company. Murphy also worked for Goodyear Tires in the late '80s, and retired in 1999. In 2004, Murphy and his wife bought a home in North Port, but the couple didn't permanently move to the city until 2010. Murphy had a long list of organizations he was a part of, including the Noon Kiwanis Club, serving as its president for two years; and a volunteer for the North Port Backpack Angels, which collects toiletries and other items for homeless students. He was a member of the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) and North Port Neighborhood Watch; on the Board of Directors for the Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention; a member of the city's Planning and Zoning Advisory Board; and a member of the North Port Area Chamber of Commerce. ""He really loved North Port and just everything about it,"" Eileen said. Murphy also ran against City Commissioner Linda Yates in the 2014 election last fall for Seat 5, but lost. Former mayor Jim Blucher, a friend of Murphy's, said Murphy didn't like what was ""going on politically"" in the city, so he decided to run because ""that was just the way he was."" ""He tried to help those less fortunate than him as much as he could,"" Blucher said. ""Marty was full of life, and he will be missed in the community."" Visitation will be held at Farley Funeral Home in North Port on Thursday, July 16, 2015 from 2:00-4:00PM & 6:00-8:00PM. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, July 17, 2015 at 1:00PM at San Pedro Catholic Church. Memorial donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105. Visitation Information Date: Thursday, July 16, 2015 Time: 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm Farley Funeral Home - North Port Address: 5900 South Biscayne Drive, , North Port, FL, 34287 (941) 426-2880 | Map Date: Thursday, July 16, 2015 Time: 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm Farley Funeral Home - North Port Address: 5900 South Biscayne Drive, , North Port, FL, 34287 (941) 426-2880 | Map Service Information Date: Friday, July 17, 2015 Time: 1:00 pm San Pedro Catholic Church Address: 14380 Tamiami Trail, , North Port, FL, 34287 | Map