Robert D. Murphy, 77, of the desert area and Idyllwild, died Friday, Jan. 14, 2000, from injuries suffered in an automobile accident.

Dr. Murphy was born Jan. 9, 1923, in South Bend, Ind., to George and Mabel Murphy.

He was a board-certified anesthesiologist at Eisenhower Medical Center from 1974 to 1989. Prior to that he was at Queen of Angels Hospital in Los Angeles from 1960 to 1974. He also served at Brooklyn Hospital in New York, St. Luke’s Hospital in St. Louis and the Veteran’s Administration in Los Angeles.

Dr. Murphy was an award-winning and extremely compassionate physician and was much-loved by his co-workers and patients.

He served in World War II in photo reconnaissance in Guam, Iwo Jima and Guadalcanal.

He and his life partner of 45 years, Monte Mansfield, have been part-time owners of an Idyllwild home since 1980 where they spent their summers.

Besides Mr. Mansfield, he is survived by two sisters, Norma Sponholz of Phoenix and Jane Ryan of Denver; four nieces, Carole Armstrong and Ellen De Cilla of Denver, Connie McDonough of Phoenix and Caroline Wolfe of Oberlin, Ohio; and five nephews Larry D. Ryan, M.D. and Jay Singer, Ph.D. of Denver, Michael Ryan of San Francisco, Conrad Sponholz of Phoenix and Tim Ryan of Denver.

A Rosary was said at 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 21, 2000, with Mass the following morning at 10 at Palm Springs Mortuaries in Cathedral City. Internment was private at Desert Memorial Park.

Charitable contributions are suggested to the Andre Allan Surgical Pavilion at Eisenhower Medical Center, 39000 Bob Hope Dr., Rancho Mirage, CA 92270.

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