MINTO – Jim Morphy, a retired firefighter who served with the local fire department for 42 years, has died.
Morphy, 77, passed away on Aug. 31 the Palmerston and District Hospital after a battle with cancer.
“Jim was a devoted and loving husband, father and grandfather whose greatest joy was his family,” his obituary states.
A mechanic by trade, Morphy retired from Minto Fire in 2014 as chief of apparatus and equipment.
“I started in 2011 so I got to spend a few years with Jim,” Minto Fire deputy fire chief Callise Loos told the Advertiser.
“Jim was always a stickler, ensuring our trucks were clean and he spent a lot of time to make sure our equipment was in order.”
Loos noted Morphy had a “huge sense of humour” as he was always joking around.
“He used colourful language pretty much in every situation, but it always brought a lightness to some of the more serious situations,” she said.
After he retired, Morphy still came by the station to have coffee with the crew “no matter who you were,” Loos said. “I call him one of the legends of Palmerston because he was one of the core group of firefighters who were around for a long time.”
Loos added, “He’s travelling from the funeral home to his resting place in the back of our old heritage truck … it’s fitting for him.”
The funeral service was held at James Street United Church in Palmerston on Sept. 8.
Memorial donations to Palmerston and District Hospital or Ronald McDonald House are appreciated, states Morphy’s obituary.
He leaves behind three children and eight grandchildren.
