(Nov. 17, 2007) -- LBReport.com is saddened to report the passing of public City Council communicator Thomas Murphy, who died at his LB home on Saturday Nov. 17 at the age of 90.

Mr. Murphy in 2003 photo

Until a few months ago, Mr. Murphy regularly spoke at LB City Council meetings on multiple subjects, frequently including his unflinching assessment: "In my [fill in annual figure] years in Long Beach, the city hasn't been able to complete a single project that hasn't turned out to be a financial disaster or an environmental mess."

A trained engineer ("and a good one" he'd add), the lifelong LB resident decided roughly two decades ago to apply his skills to design a device that could reduce/prevent L.A. river debris from ending up on LB's beaches. Elegant in its simplicity, it included a net/basket type catcher that, Mr. Murphy said, could be slung over a bridge to retrieve debris floating by and place it in waiting dump trucks for disposal.

Mr. Murphy offered the device -- for free -- to a long-gone City Council...and was politely ignored.

That so annoyed him that he tried again and again...and eventually resolved to speak to the Council for as long as it took to get his point across.

City Hall officialdom grudgingly referred his idea to government brass which variously pooh-poohed it. One agency told us it calculated that the force of the water might bring down the bridge. When we shared that conclusion with Mr. Murphy, he ridiculed the government's engineering and added, "If they knew what they were doing, we wouldn't have garbage on our beaches."

Some local activists began referring to then-octogenarian as LB's first modern environmentalist...and government agencies eventually developed variations on Mr. Murphy's original concept (at taxpayer expense), devices that caught a portion of the debris as it came down the river using booms and the like...which Mr. Murphy considered inferior to his original design.

His encounter with LB City Hall made Mr. Murphy all the more intent on enlightening the Council on various subjects. He did so regularly at each Council meeting, week after week, year after year.

Sometimes Mr. Murphy would simply read city staff reports as agendized, irking some at the consumption of time but a gentle, constant reminder to elected Councilmembers -- and to taxpayers -- of the public money that was about to be spent.

In recent months, Mr. Murphy came with a walker, waiting patiently for his three minutes to speak.

When advancing infirmities prevented Mr. Murphy from attending, people noticed. On June 5, 2007, Vice Mayor Bonnie Lowenthal (then presiding) noted that Mr. Murphy hadn't been present for several weeks...and wished him the best.

On July 17, 2007, Mr. Murphy attended the Council meeting with his son and daughter...as 8th district Councilwoman Rae Gabelich devoted part of her constituent recognitions to him (a 7th district resident). (Images: City Council webcast)

Herself a veteran activist (who'd spent many three-minute limited segments at the speakers' podium), Councilwoman Gabelich called Mr. Murphy "our historian, our watchdog and our conscience."

Councilwoman Gabelich: For anyone who has watched a City Council meeting the last several years, Mr. Murphy needs no introduction. For years without fail, Mr. Murphy was at his seat in the front row for every City Council meeting. He regularly speaks during the public comment period, to regale the Council and the public about the history of Long Beach, including his time as a student at Poly High School and going to down to the old Pike and the Long Beach earthquake.

Whenever discussing a budget problem facing the city, he would add his regular refrain to not blame the problem on our wonderful city employees.

Mr. Murphy also pulled many items off the consent calendar. Some people watching at home may not always realize his intent, because during his three minute comment period, he would often just read the staff report about the item without offering any further comment or opinion.

But what many of us realized is that Mr. Murphy took the responsibility upon himself to remind us as the Council that we should never take our duties for granted. Every item he pulls deals with the spending of taxpayer dollars. Mr. Murphy wants the Council and the public to be constantly reminded that we are the guardians of the public trust, and this is not our money to spend without any thought.

This is the public's money, and we must be sure that what we are approving is in the public's interest...

Since Mr. Murphy did stop coming and speaking regularly, I have been asked by people in the community on several occasions, 'Where's Mr. Murphy and is he OK?' He's made an impact throughout our entire city.

This evening, I would like to thank Mr. Murphy for his years of dedication and love for this city that has been his home for his entire life.

I am pleased that his son and daughter are able to be here this evening to share this moment with him.

Mr. Murphy is our historian, our watchdog and our conscience.

Will you please join me in showing our appreciation for Mr. Thomas Murphy.

[Audience and Council come to their feet...and give Mr. Murphy a standing ovation.]

Mr. Murphy: I wish to thank everybody and I think that maybe when I get to be a hundred, I'll be able to make my speeches again.

And the following about Mr. Murphy comes from Colette Marie McLaughlin, a veteran LB activist known for criticizing Council actions ranging from the Queen Mary to "Queensway Bay." She exited LB for Northern CA in 2003 after earning her Ph.D with a dissertation that deconstructed LB's "Redevelopment" record.

Days before taking off, Dr. McLaughlin asked her fellow activists and friends to join her for a going away party to be held at Mr. Murphy's Wrigley area home...to show respect for his long-time activism.

On that day, she shared memories with Mr. Murphy. Today, she wrote the following obituary to him which we provide verbatim:

[begin Dr. McLaughlin text]

Thomas Murphy passed away peacefully in his sleep early this morning, Saturday, November 17, 2007 due to complications from kidney disease.

For the past month he has been seriously ill and has been cared for by his children Bridgett, Michael and Kirk and grandson Shane at his family home...

Mr. Murphy is survived by his three children and their respective spouses, Mark, Fusako and Maran, nine grandchildren, two nieces and five nephews.

He was more recently known for his many years of advocacy for fiscal and environmental prudence at Long Beach City Council meetings. His tagline, “Ninety years in Long Beach ” expressed his dedication for a city and its people he deeply loved.

Mr. Murphy was born on December 6, 1916, the third of six children to immigrant parents from Ireland who settled in Long Beach where his father was a ship builder.

Tom Murphy attended Edison Elementary and Poly High where he was elected School Sheriff and helped fellow students deal with hardships of attending classes in tents following the destruction of most of the Poly campus by the 1933 Long Beach earthquake.

Following his graduation and during World War II he served as an engineer at the Long Beach Naval Base and later worked in a plumbing business with his father.

His love for others, passion for excellence and entrepreneurial nature enriched many lives, including entertainment and sports luminaries.

He opened and operated a bicycle shop, bartended at the [Hollywood] Palladium....

...and ran a number of businesses at the [original, now former] Pike where he introduced corn dogs.

Mr. Murphy also owned and managed a number of other Long Beach eateries and bars including the Western Corral (since converted to Acres of Books) and Murphy’s Drive-In (formerly at Willow and Long Beach Boulevard) and Murphy’s Steak House (now Trini's).

He married his beloved late wife Catherine in 1946 who shared his love for dancing, raised their three children and helped manage his businesses during their 50 years of marriage.

Mr. Murphy was a member and made a hole-in-one an at the Virginia County Club where he developed skills as an amateur golfer that enabled him to compete in the Bob Hope Desert Classic with celebrities including Laurence Welk (in photo), Ed Sullivan and Glen Campbell.

He was given passes to U.S, and Cuban baseball games from his baseball legend friends Vern Stephens and Bob Lemon. His skills at deep sea fishing won him many jack pots that he would distribute to Pier Point Landing fishing crews.

Mr. Murphy's proposals to the City Council included a concept developed by the City for removing debris from the LA River. His contributions were recognized by Mayor O’Neill in 2006.

Mr. Murph's family and friends share a deep sense of loss for a man whose 90 years of dedication touched so many lives in Long Beach.

Visitation will be at 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday night, November 20 at Long Beach Forest Lawn Memorial Park (800-204-3131). His funeral services are scheduled to be conduced graveside Forest Lawn Memroral Park at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, November 21.