Cover photo for Garland Murphy III's Obituary
Garland Murphy III Profile Photo
1941 Garland 2021

Garland Murphy III

December 11, 1941 — November 5, 2021

The THIRD Garland Doty Murphy—the middle one!!  Following on the heels of his dad, the Junior & his granddad, the Senior.  Then followed by his firstborn son, the 4th and his grandson, the 5th.  He was pleased to bear this name!

Born in El Dorado, AR December 11, 1941 to Garland and Wilma Murphy;

Valedictorian of El Dorado High School Class of 1959;  Graduate of Rice University in Houston, TX; University of Arkansas Medical School graduate in 1967, followed by 3 years of Pediatric specialty training.

Although he spent all his growing up years involved in church with his parents, it wasn’t until his first year at Rice that a fellow student shared a Campus Crusade tract with him, saying, “Perhaps you can use this to share Christ with others.” Little did they know, this was to be the “Aha!” moment in his personal relationship with Christ…he knew all the facts, but had never acted personally on them.  That very night…out under the stars, he declared his trust in Christ alone for his salvation!

In the intensity of medical school, Doty found an outlet.  He taught himself to play Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven.  He found the piano music in his grandmother Arnn’s piano bench—written in SIX sharps!!

In the fall of 1963, he was to meet a young couple, Hal & Judy Merwald, who had come to Little Rock as Area Director of Young Life Clubs in Arkansas.  Doty’s involvement included starting a Young Life Club at Central High School, Little Rock.

His friend Hal actually introduced Doty to Phyllis Wilkinson, a Junior Nursing student at Baptist Hospital in LR.  AND performed their wedding Dec. 17, 1966.

Doty served in the U.S. Public Health Service in Epidemiology for two years, then a year as Director of the ARK. State Health Department in LR.  Going on to Mena, AR, he joined Dr. Calvin Austin in his medical practice for 7 years.  Here, he taught a small Bible study, which grew into the founding of Grace Bible Church.  What an adventure!

Medical mission trips & counseling ministry filled his calendar—China, Haiti, several African countries, Russia, England, Guatemala, Mexico…    Two years in Moscow brought great joy to him as he directed & participated in the distribution of Bibles in the city & villages—so many had never even SEEN a Bible!

Doty combined all the best of medicine of yesteryear---housecalls, patients coming to HIS house, answering the phone no matter what…    (One year at Christmas, his family had a second unlisted phone line installed just for family…surprise!! Doty was not given the phone number!) with openness to cutting edge & “out of the box” medical research/practices. Called to Medicine, his focus was the whole person.

Vegetable gardens & flower beds---a favorite!!

Family:  being an only child himself, he never hesitated to celebrate each of his six children.

Christina Murphy Lusk & husband Larry of Panama City Beach, FL;  JuliAnne Murphy & husband Yor Jimenez of Little Rock, AR;  Garland Doty Murphy IV (Land) & wife Valerie of Houston, TX;  Hannah Murphy Frantz & husband Eric of Dallas, TX;  Zachary Murphy & wife Laura of Dallas, TX;  Ann-Phyllis Murphy Elie of Arizona;  Bonus daughter—Jennifer Dunlap Hines of Rogers, AR;  Bonus International daughter—Fatemeh SedaghatPour.

Grands:  Caroline Kaufman Day & husband Dalton of Rogers, AR; Ian Murphy Kaufman & family of Centerton, AR;  Edward Joren Kaufman of Fayetteville, AR;  Hayden Doty Kaufman of Davenport, IA;  Garland Doty Murphy, V (Quinn) of Little Rock, AR;  Joseph Clay Murphy of Houston, TX; Sophia Andrade of  Cave Springs, AR;  Evie Elie of Arizona;  Zoe Wilma Murphy of Dallas, TX; AND Reagan Elizabeth Murphy in HEAVEN!!

Great grandsons:  Tanner & Riggs Day; Oliver Kaufman.

Bonus Grands:  Bo & Allie Hines of Rogers, AR.

Donations and memorial contributions may be made to any of the following (7 of the many organizations that were dear to Doty’s heart).

Haiti Awake (Orphans)

https://www.aplos.com/aws/give/HaitiAwakeInc/general

Unfolding Word (Bible Translation)

https://www.unfoldingword.org/donate

First Liberty Institute (Legal Rights for Religious Liberty)

https://firstliberty.org/donation/support-first-liberty-main/

Loving Choice (Pro-Life Pregnancy Centers)

https://www.lovingchoices.org/supportvolunteer

Far East Broadcast Company (Christian radio presenting gospel around the world)

https://www.febc.org/donate/

Refugee Aid Mission (Refugees who have fled to Jordan)

http://refugeeaidmission.com/#give

CODE: TR3506

Hillsdale College (an independent conservative Christian college dedicated to religious liberty, the Constitution of the United States and to Truth.)

https://secured.hillsdale.edu/hillsdale/support-hillsdale-college

Friends may watch the Funeral Service via livestream at: http://crosschurch.com/live

To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Garland Murphy III, please visit our flower store.

Service Schedule

Past Services

Visitation

Friday, November 12, 2021

4:00 - 8:00 pm (Central time)

Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text. Standard text messaging rates apply.

Visitation

Friday, November 12, 2021

4:00 - 8:00 pm (Central time)

Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text. Standard text messaging rates apply.

Funeral Service

Saturday, November 13, 2021

Starts at 10:00 am (Central time)

Backstrom Pyeatte Funeral Home - Siloam Springs

1401 E Main St, Siloam Springs, AR 72761

Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text. Standard text messaging rates apply.

Funeral Service

Saturday, November 13, 2021

Starts at 10:00 am (Central time)

Backstrom Pyeatte Funeral Home - Siloam Springs

1401 E Main St, Siloam Springs, AR 72761

Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text. Standard text messaging rates apply.

Guestbook

Visits: 92

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the
Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors

Send Flowers

Send Flowers

Plant A Tree

Plant A Tree