Nolan James Murphy

Nolan James Murphy was born on January 12, 1947 in Whitehall, Mt. at Dr. Hill's hospital. Parents were Terence and Genevieve Watson Murphy. He attended grades one through eight at the one room Eureka School in the Milligan Canyon area of Jefferson County. Grades nine through twelve he was a student at Willow Creek High School. In 1969 Nolan graduated from Montana State University in Bozeman. He worked as a Seasonal Ranger in Yellowstone Park for several years.

On April 7, 1974 Nolan married Sandra Foster, a widow with a young son named Shawn. Later they purchased the former Herm Thompson place just two and one half miles from his parents farm where he grew up.

Along with raising non-irrigated grain, Nolan and Sandy went into the cattle business with Red Angus. His wife passed away in 2007. Nolan continued raising a Red Angus herd until a few years before his death. Nolan died at Parkhaven Assisted Living Memory Care in Manhattan on May 19, 2025.

Nolan was a long time member of the Cardwell Community Church, the Montana Farmers Union, The Montana Stockgrowers Association, and the National Rifle Association.

Survivors include Nolan's brother Terry Murphy, stepson Shawn Foster, in-laws Shirley Phillips, Marvin and Debby Erickson, Drake and Rhonda Albertson, plus various cousins in the USA and Ireland. The family thanks the staff at Parkhaven for the loving care they provided Nolan.