The Permanent Record: Legacy of Michael Murphy

I’m a little delayed in sharing this story, but I didn’t want any more time to pass. It was something that so impressed me that I hope it will also encourage you.

We often talk about legacy as something left behind in books, titles, or monuments. A little over two weeks ago, I was sitting in the memorial service in Peachtree Corners for my father’s USAFA classmate, Michael Murphy. While sitting in the pews of the church, I marveled at the beauty of the space dedicated to worshipping the Lord that Mike greatly invested in to build. At the same time, I was reminded that a true legacy is built day by day, in both the quiet moments and the monumental ones.

Mike lived a life anchored in family, faith, and freedom. His service to our nation, a marriage spanning nearly seven decades, his dedication to legal aid for those in need, and his partnership in his wife’s seven terms of public service in education were not isolated achievements. They were the natural fruit of a man whose character guided his conduct, framed every conversation, and helped to steward his resources well.

The church Mike helped build was a gorgeous space brought to life with reclaimed stained glass, pillars, and artwork from an old church in Buffalo, New York. To sit in the presence of God in a sanctuary he helped construct, surrounded by his wife, daughters, grandchildren, and a community he cherished, was to see a living metaphor of his entire life.

He didn't just build a structure; he partnered with God to create a sanctuary where the people he loved could gather, worship, and encounter the Lord. He poured into his military service, his family, and his community with that same long-term vision.

The Class of '59 has given us endless reasons to be proud, but it is the wisdom gleaned from lives like Mike’s that gives us a roadmap. He showed us that when you build your foundation on enduring commitment, faith, and love, the house you build more easily withstands the test of time—and shelters generations to come.

If you would like to read more details on his life and legacy, see his bio here: