Donald Thomas Dunphy, 82, of Middletown, passed away late Oct. 25 at his home where he had requested to be in his final days, a wish made certain by his four children, who were with him at the time of his passing. Born June 20, 1937 in nearby Long Branch, Don was the son of the late Thomas Dunphy and Marie (Scridlow) Dunphy.
Don spent most of his life striving to provide for others. Whether it was for his children, his wife Virginia – whom he cared for 24 hours a day during her final days almost two decades previous despite recovering from his own major health issues – his many brothers and sisters, or his grandchildren – who always looked forward to his big hugs – Don thought about how to help.
He was skilled at repair, specifically televisions and vacuum cleaners, a skill he would pass on to his son Daniel. Inspired by Virginia’s love of art, Don took up painting soon after her death, a hobby that both kept his late wife in his thoughts and finally fulfilled his own longtime dream.
Don’s cooking remains one of his most enduring expressions of his love. Everyone always looked forward
to his famous stuffing, a family recipe that welcomed every Thanksgiving holiday. His egg platters and sandwiches will especially be missed, even his habit of making them at 3 a.m. because he kept such a wacky sleep schedule. No matter when people would be waking up and no matter who was in the house, everyone would have a plate of his famous eggs waiting for them. Don made sure no one went hungry.
That was especially true for his brother James, who preceded him in death by several months. Most mornings would see Don out and heading over to his brother’s house in Long Branch to drive him to the supermarket. In earlier years, the two would often be out on the beach, fishing rods in hand, hoping to catch their meals instead of buying them. This sense of great need to provide for others is weaved throughout Don’s life and will continue to be felt for years to come.
Don is survived by his four children, Donna Dunphy-Haut of Englishtown, Donald W. Dunphy of Middletown, Daniel Dunphy of Marlboro, and John Dunphy of Saint Charles, Missouri; daughter-in-law Melinda (Cron) Dunphy and son-in-law Ron Haut; six grandchildren, Amanda, Holly, Leanna, Lucas, Joshua and Elysia; three great-grandchildren, Layla, Hafsa and Natasha; his older sister Doris of Colorado and younger brother Allan of West Long Branch; and his close friend Rosemary Brandolini of New York, New York.
He was preceded in death by his parents and 10 brothers and sisters, most recently brothers James “UJ” Dunphy and Bernard Daniel “Whitey” Dunphy; and in 2000 by his wife of 36 years Virginia (Rue) Dunphy.
A celebration of life service was held Oct. 29 at John F. Pfleger Funeral Home in Middletown. Family and close friends were invited to attend burial services for Don immediately folowing at Fair View Cemetery in Middletown.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the charity of the giver’s choice in Don’s memory.
