Michael C. Murphy, 68, Hannawa Falls

HANNAWA FALLS -- Michael C. Murphy, 68, a resident of Birch Drive, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, July 7, 2024, at Canton-Potsdam Hospital. 

 Mike was born November 14, 1955, in Syracuse, the son of the late Patrick and Jane (Woods) Murphy. 

He attended and graduated from Jamesville-Dewitt High School in 1973 and Cornell University in 1977 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering.  He continued his education at CalTech achieving his Master of Science Degree in Aeronautics in 1978 and was awarded his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering in 1990 from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston. 

 In 1977, Mike did a summer internship at the NASA Lewis Research Center in Cleveland before moving to California and starting work with Hughes Aircraft Company in Canoga Park.  

He spent most of his professional career as a professor of Mechanical Engineering at Louisiana State University (LSU) in Baton Rouge from 1992 until his retirement in 2015. 

He remained research active guiding students as an Emeritus Professor until his death.  He was recently honored as Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. 

As a mechanical engineer, he was a member of the ASME and IEEE.  He was an avid Rugby player, enjoyed hiking, reading anything about history, and traveling.

 Mike is survived by his loving wife, Elizabeth “Lisa” Podlaha-Murphy, whom he married on August 17, 2003, in Lake Placid, NY; his sisters, Margo Murphy of Chesapeake, VA and Monica Murphy of Newport News, VA; his brother, Mark Murphy of Dewitt, NY; his aunt, Nancy Woods; his cousins, Wendy (Sean) Hanley and their sons, Dan and Tim, Bruce (Virginia) Woods and their daughter, Lydia, and Craig (Barbara) Woods; his wife’s brothers, Anton T. Podlaha, Fredrick (Debbie Cardona) Podlaha, Frank (Martina) Podlaha, and Gregory Podlaha; and their children, Julia and Jonathan Podlaha, Ashley and Sage Bedard, Katelyn and Brandon Podlaha, Rachel Rice, and Jake Wiezoreck. 

 Arrangements are under the care and guidance of the Donaldson-Seymour Funeral Home, 4 Cedar Street, Potsdam, where friends may call Monday, July 29th from 1:00 PM until the time of the service at 3:00 PM. 

Burial will follow in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Potsdam, NY.

 Memorial contributions may be made in his memory to Huntington’s Disease Society of American, 505 Eighth Street Suite 1402, New York, NY, 10018 or by visiting www.hdsa.org.

 Friends are encouraged to share memories and offer condolences online at www.donaldsonseymour.com.