Thomas Fulton Murphy

Thomas Fulton Murphy passed away on February 21, 2025 surrounded by his loving family. He was born on September 3, 1936 to the late Bill and Ina Murphy. Lovingly known to his family as Tommy, he knew from a young age that he wanted to be an educator. After graduating high school from McAdory High in Bessemer, Alabama, Tommy attended Moorehead Junior College before attending Mississippi State University and graduating three times. The first with an Undergraduate Degree in Agricultural Education, the next with a Masters Degree in Education Administration, and finally he graduated with a Specialist Degree in Education.

Tommy began his thirty-year long career in education at Kossuth High School where he met Jane (Kitchens) Murphy, who would go on to become his wife. After leaving Kossuth, he worked at Maben High School, Caledonia High School, Ackerman High School, and Strayhorn Elementary before he went on to be the first director of the Senatobia-Tate County Career and Technical Center.

On May 27, 1960, Tommy married the love of his life, Jane Kitchens Murphy. They shared 64 years of marriage. Her family became his family. He told stories of his fishing trips with his father in law and lovingly said he was the best friend he ever had. Jane was from a big family and her brothers and sisters became his brothers and sisters. He loved them and his host of nieces and nephews as if they were his own. Tom had one brother Jimmy Murphy of Indianola who preceded him in his death.

Never meeting a stranger, Tommy was someone that always had a story and would always tell them to anyone who would listen. He leaves behind a legacy of kindness and dedication. A lifelong member of the Senatobia Methodist Church, he served the First Methodist Church of Senatobia through his many carpentry projects and years as a Sunday school teacher. An avid gardener, Tommy always had a tip for growing any and every summer vegetable and was often found outside in either the garden or relaxing in his swing watching hummingbirds.

Summers were his favorite time of the year! When his children were growing up a summer never passed he didn’t take them on a trip. He carried that tradition on to his grandchildren. He encouraged them to all travel and see this world. He would tell them if you can’t go on a trip, pick up a book and read because reading will take you anywhere in the world without leaving your house. His mother used to laugh and say “Tommy wouldn’t eat his cereal in the morning til he read the whole box.” He believed that teaching a child to read opened doors for them that no one could shut. He led a lot of schools through his years in education. Kindergarten and first grade were his favorite because he said “watching those little fellows learn to read, there was nothing greater in this world to see, than when that light switched on and they started to read.”

Tommy is survived by his wife of sixty-four years, Jane Kitchens Murphy as well as his three children, Jennifer Williams (Steve) of Senatobia, Mike Murphy (Jackie) of Palm Harbor, Florida and Ellen Glosson (Ray) of Senatobia and his grandchildren who were the loves of his life, Chelsea Boylan (Gary), Laura Lea Williams, Cody Murphy, and Maggie Glosson, as well as two great-grandchildren Gary and Lacey. He was Papa to them and all of their friends. He had many names through the years, Thomas, Tommy, Tom, Mr. Murphy, Daddy and the one he was most proud of Papa.

The family requests memorials be sent in lieu of flowers to Senatobia First Methodist Church or Northwest MS Community College to the Tom and Jane Murphy Scholarship.

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