| VALE ? Bob Murphy ? I met Bob through our common interest in cars. Although he was originally an upholsterer when I met him about 50 years ago, he was working for Kelly Brothers? Holden in Morwell. He was managing their body repair shop in Latrobe Rd where they had offices with a big Board Room above. It was here we formed a branch of the Gippsland Car Club for sports car owners called Scuderia Gippsland through which we organized events like the motorkhanas on a farm at Minniedale Rd, Traralgon owned by Greg Ireland’s father. It is now part of the Loy Yang Power Station. Bob and Sue had many cars including MGs, Healeys and Triumphs, one particularly nice GT6 and the odd Alfa Romeo. There were more, including bikes, the last of which was a blue Electra Glide Harley Davidson. Not long after, Bob and Sue moved to a Bush block at Jeeralang where he had?an Alfa Romeo GT and later on a Range Rover that he went Bush bashing in with a 4×4 group. When they moved to Trafalgar, Bob moved back into sports cars with MGs – one of which, an MGA is still owned by Sporting Register member Grady Edwards. During this time Bob bought an Austin Healey Sprite in Adelaide which we bought back on a trailer in the pouring rain using his Keith Williams Real Estate work car. The rain didn?t help the rust in the little Bug Eye and the four-pot Mitsubishi Magna was at its towing limit, if not over. His next cars were all German. A particular favorite was a white 911 Porsche which he regretted selling, but relinquished it after receiving an offer he couldn’t refuse when a buyer saw it being serviced at Mike Jacobson?s workshop in Warragul. His last sports cars were a BMW Z4 and the SLK Mercedes, which is technically Sue?s, so I hope it stays around for a while as a memory to Bob.?As well as his interest in cars, Bob was also involved in Rotary and supported various other charity organisations. He will be missed by many people not just those in the car scene. As a fellow car nut who served on the Committee of the GSCCR?with him, I have many fond memories of our trips together with Sue and Cheryl over the years, both with the Club and otherwise. He particularly liked our runs to Moss Vale Park for the Music for the People concerts with our picnics under the giant oak trees. So, rest in peace Bob and I hope you catch up with Cheryl somewhere in the after-life. ? John Weymouth ? |
Bob?s grave-side funeral service was held at the Trafalgar Cemetery on Thursday 22nd October. It was a lovely fine day and the cemetery afforded magnificent views over the verdant green pastures in the valley below. Covid-19 regulations restricted numbers at the funeral to 20, but car club members assembled their sports and classic cars in the car park, masked up and viewed the proceedings from a distance.
Sporting Register member and long-time friend of Bob?s, Merv Swingler was one of several who spoke of Bob?s irrepressible love of cars, boats and motorcycles, as well as animals and his work with charitable organisations. It was a fitting send off.
Rest in peace Bob.
