Daniel F. Murphy

Daniel Francis Murphy, 74, passed away on September 29, 2024 at Mercy Medical Center, with his loving family by his side after a courageous seven year battle with metastatic prostate cancer. Born in Springfield, MA on December 24, 1949, to the late Arthur and Mary (Lawler) Murphy, he was a graduate of Technical High School and was a 1968 draftee of the New York Mets and played in the minor leagues as a pitcher for 3 ½ years under General Manager Whitey Herzog. After his release from the Mets, he joined the Springfield Fire Department and retired after 28 years.

Dan served in the National Guard during the Vietnam War while playing ball with the Mets. He was inducted into the Forest Park Hall of Fame, and along with his father, the late Art Murphy, was inducted into the Springfield Public Schools Hall of Fame.

Dan was an avid lover of golf and was formerly a member of Ludlow Country Club. He enjoyed many trips to Disney World and Florida.

He leaves his wife of 40 years, Angela (Lovechio) Murphy; his brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Matthew and Diane Lovechio of Feeding Hills and Chris and Lynn Lovechio of Wakefield, RI; his nieces, Mia Keedy and her husband Jeff of Hadley, Alexi Lovechio and her husband Luke Wimmer of Ashland, Oregon, Jenna Lovechio of Feeding Hills, Brianna Lovechio Rua and her husband Edison of Southwick and Mario and Anthony Lovechio of Ashaway, Rhode Island. He also leaves his great-nephews and Niece, Maddox and Zoey Keedy and Diego and Mateo Rua; his cousins, Eleanor and Ron Grassetti of Wilbraham and Dennis Lawler of West Springfield; and good friends Bruce and Kathy Miller and Paul and Karen Montefusco.

Calling Hours will be held on Thursday, October 3, 2024 from 4:00-7:00pm at Nowak Funeral & Cremation Services, 15 Ludlow Ave. Springfield. Funeral Services will be held on Friday, October 4, 2024 at 11:00am at the funeral home. Burial will be held privately by the family.

Angela and her family would like to give special thanks to Dr. Timothy Johnson and all the staff at the Sister Caritas Cancer Center for their care and kindness to Dan during his illness.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 (online at www.stjude.org) or to the Sister Caritas Cancer Center c/o  Mercy Medical Center, Office of Philanthropy Gift Processing Center, PO Box 320635, Hartford, CT  06132-9900 (online at give.mercycares.com/donate). To offer online condolences, please visit www.nowakfuneral.com.

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