In Memory

Kelly Murphy

MURPHY, Kelly Ryan Age 42, left our world on August 13, 2014. He was born to Roxy (Kukuchka) Novotny and Blaine Murphy on February 3, 1972 in Laramie, WY and grew up in Sheridan; graduating from the Uni-versity of Wyoming in 1995 with an art degree in graphic design. He then moved to Dallas to begin his 20-year career as a graphic artist and creative director.

His first job was as the Art Director at The Dallas Voice and the Creative Director of Q Texas. From Dallas he moved to South Beach FL as a free lance graphic designer but returned to Dallas 6 months later to become an Art Director for D Magazine (Maga-zine Partners). His next adventure was as the Executive Creative Director for VIP of Southeast Texas (Beaumont); and, from there he took on a national magazine publication (Automobile Magazine) as Creative Director. He made it through 3 winters in MI before once again returning home to Dallas and landing his favorite position as Senior Art Director, Global Creative Team for Mary Kay Cosmetics. Throughout his career he continued to free lance plus he won 19 national design awards, including several ADDY's (the creative design world's Oscar equivalent).

In his spare time, Kelly created art in his own studio (selling a piece for $3500+ in a DIFFA auction), loved his BMW sports motorcycle (Thor) and cross county bike trips with his dear friend Marty, cruising the Caribbean with Jim (including taking his sisters on cruises for their high school graduation gifts, his mother, and Jim's mother), home remodeling (there wasn't anything he couldn't do after watching it on YouTube), and bodybuilding (always pushing himself with new goals).

Kelly is survived by his partner Jim Walker, his parents Roxy (Steve) Novotny of Ft. Collins, CO & Blaine (Cassie) Murphy of Sheridan; siblings Shawn Murphy, Stacy (Brad) Bledsoe, Rachel Novotny, and nephew Jaxon Novotny, all of CO; grandmothers Pearl Kukuchka and Martha Murphy of Sheridan; his adoptive father Ryan Shaw (Bill Hepler) of Dallas; many aunts, uncles, cou-sins, and a multitude of friends.

A memorial service to celebrate his life will be held on Sunday, September 7th at 4 PM at the UCC Cathedral of Hope, 5910 Cedar Springs Rd., Dallas 75235. Memorials may be made to his favorite charity, Resource Center of Dallas, to the Cathedral of Hope, or your favorite charity. Kelly practiced paying it forward and he never passed up an opportunity to put the Universe in debt.

His online tribute video is available at https://vimeo.com/105505292

and a copy of an interview he granted in 2012 is available at https://www.goodenoughmother.com/2012/03/life-lessons-kelly-ryan-murphy/

https://obits.dallasnews.com/obituaries/dallasmorningnews/obituary.aspx?n=kelly-murphy&pid=172374056







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