In a year of unspeakable loss, I want to stop and talk about losing a friend who meant a lot to me. On December 19th, William (Bill) Murphy passed away. Politicians hope for supporters like Bill. People they can count on to hold a sign outside, host a sign in their yard or write a check for what they can afford to support their candidacy. Successful politicians tend to have many of such folk, I had only a few and none greater than Bill.

Bill Murphy (no relation that we know of) judged politicians by whether or not they knocked on his door, and their honesty. The first time I remember meeting him was while “Standing out” on election day, 2017. “Standing out” is a political tradition that I knew very little about when I dove into all of this after the 2016 election. And on that day, I was holding my own sign on the lawn outside St. Thomas Aquinas Hall, the poll location for ward 1, precinct 5. I stood there awkwardly holding my sign and feeling like I didn’t know what to do with my hands. Bill, a tall and friendly guy, came over and said to me, “Hey, no one told me there was a Murphy in this race.” I returned the smile and shook his hand (remember hand shaking?). I introduced myself and he did the same, we performed that fun little comedy routine about shared ancestors and his quick little interrogation on what I was running for and why didn’t we meet before that day was softened by his warm nature and smile. I told him I must have missed him when I stopped by his house. He pointed to his house, right across the street from where we stood, and thankfully, I remember canvassing that street. But as an introverted, first-time candidate, I hated door-knocking. I’ll admit, I’m kind of terrible at it. Once or twice I knocked meekly hoping not to hear dog barks and baby cries and see a stressed person open the door.

Bill said he got the three-fold flyer but had no idea who I was. That day he was holding signs for Anne Mahoney and for Noel Dibona, two Quincy City councilors and members of the the QDCC. Next to him, holding a sign was our mutual acquaintance, Diane, who quipped “Bill, you are gonna vote for Joe, aren’t ya?” He said the odds that he’d vote for another Murphy were pretty good. The three of us laughed and had a great time and Bill told me, “I told Anne and Noel I hold their signs. It’s a shame we didn’t connect before today.” I told him I understood and that I appreciate his kind words. Well a few minutes later he was holding one of my signs and switched off and on between Anne and Noel and me. Standing around on a cold November day can be boring and brutal, but with people like Bill, it was fun.

Bill joined me and my daughters one early morning at QSD and Beach in Merrymount.

The next time I ran, Bill was with me the whole way. Standing outside the Sea St. Dunks, Adams Shore library, on Sea St. by the Fox and Hound…all the great ward one spots. He got along great with my crazy crew and we all loved him.

Bill had an interesting past, he was a camera man for television and sporting events for years for CBS. If I remember correctly, he did a lot of golf and football. So I could listen to those stories all day. In his retirement, he loved going golfing so getting up early for a stand out never bothered him. He’d have his clubs in the car and the minute we wrapped up, he was off to the course.

I don’t think he was overly political, like many people he had strong opinions about the 2016 election results. As I mentioned before, Bill had no patience for dishonesty and so he had a lot of opinions about the previous president.

The next election day for me was September 2019, Bill was out there “standing out” on the Aquinas Hall lawn, but this time he brought a pop-up tent that became Vote Joe Murphy HQ. I did not win, but people showed up and saw an enthusiastic crowd with water, snacks, Christmas lights, music. The festive atmosphere is how voting should feel, Bill got that.

Election Day HQ outside the precinct 5 location. It was a blast.

I reached out to some of the people who knew Bill and enjoyed his support for them:

One of many standouts at Dunkins on Sea St.

David Jacobs, QDCC Communications Officer and former School Committee Candidate:
“Bill made standing out at the polls fun. As someone who has been standing at polls for decades Bill certainly put a new twist on it. It felt more like Mardi Gras than Election Day. In a business that could be territorial Bill had a way of bring people together--something sorely missed in our world today. RIP Bill.”

Bill sent me this photo himself letting me know he was standing out for Noel.

Noel DiBona, Quincy Councilor-at-Large:
I met Bill Murphy, when I first ran for City Council in 2015. I knocked on his door and we hit it off immediately. Bill was all about honestly. Bill would say, “Just tell me the truth”. We had many conversations about enjoying life everyday and his love of golf. When I found out Bill passed away, I was very sad. Bill helped me every election and always held signs for me on election day. I will always be grateful for his help and his loyalty. Thank you, Bill, for everything. RIP

Diane O’Meara, fellow campaign volunteer and close friend of Bill:
When a friendship leaves us through death, we often feel cheated in life, Life doesn’t always play fair. I vow to remember that day we first met, two of a kind, no doubt in my mind, You and I were meant to be friends. And I will always remember That night in November, now partners in crime with a love for lights, we stood side-by-side with our close group of friends, lighting the sky straight to the end. Forever in my heart <3

Bill and Diane loved campaigning for Anne

Anne Mahoney, Quincy Councilor-at-Large:
When learning the news of Bill Murphy, I had such an overwhelming feeling of sadness. The thought that I will no longer see the sparkle in his eyes or his great big smile when he had a story to share. Bill was a true connector of people. When you met him, he had a genuine interest in getting to know you. He made you feel like you knew him your entire life. He had a profound interest in his community, in life, and most importantly in the connections, he made along the way. Bill was not only a supporter of my campaigns; he became a true friend. Someone I looked forward to seeing and eager to share and connect about life. A quote that reflects my sense of loss but heartfelt thanks for having Bill as a friend and as part of my life. “Sadly, missed along life’s way, quietly remembered every day… No longer in our life to share, but in our hearts, you’re always there.” Author unknown.

Until we meet again my friend, you will be in my heart especially on election day. I hope you are looking down on us with the charm and positivity you brought to life and humanity.

The QDCC blog is open for member-submissions. Members in good standing who would like to write a post for consideration should email their entries to <quincydems@gmail.com>. Submissions may be edited, condensed, published or not published at the discretion of the City-Wide Communication Officer and/or Communications Committee. This blog post was written by a member in good standing of the Quincy Dems and the Quincy Ward 1 Democrats Committee. The opinions expressed are his own and do not constitute an official position of the Quincy Dems or the Quincy Ward 1 Democrats Committee.