Thank you

To The Editor:

On Monday, April 21st, we lost the patriarch of our family, Vinnie Murphy. For those who knew and loved him, it was the profound loss of a young (63) and special man. He had lived with a diagnosis of pulmonary fibrosis for about three years, and while most of that time was spent in relatively good health, his last trip from his home was on March 14th, and so began a long hospital stay that ended with him being called home, after fighting the good fight.

We would like to take a moment to thank some of our local community members for their help and support. The medical staff at North Shore University Hospital (Manhasset) became like a second family, and cared for him like they would have cared for their own family member, all the while supporting and guiding us. The staff at Fairchild Sons Funeral Home took over that role during the darkest days, making sure he was properly attended for his final time with us. The Administration and Chaplain at Kellenberg Memorial High School became a lifeline for us. Last but not least, the officers from the GCPD coordinated with the Port Authority Police Department, with whom he served for 37 years and provided a touching and impressive honor guard and escort for him during his final journey. We, as a family, were grieving, but as we came out of the church and saw that honor guard saluting and cars at the ready, we were met with a tremendous feeling of comfort and pride in his many years of quiet and dedicated service. As one of the officers remarked, upon being thanked, “We take care of our own.”

Of course, our thank you would not be complete without mentioning all the support we received from the many members of the village, whose numbers prevent us from listing you all. We know we live in a very special place!

With deep gratitude,

The Family of Vincent J. Murphy