Dennis Dayton (Lockard) Murphy, 75, of Bradenton Beach, Fla., formerly of New Wilmington, died Sept. 24. 2016.

My Dad was born on August 8, 1941 in Turtle Creek, PA to Dorothy Orgill Murphy and Charles Dayton Murphy and had a younger brother, Jay Lockard. My Mom was the late (and amazing) Dianalee McClimans Murphy of Greenville, PA. Mom and Dad's first date was the Junior Prom and they were happily married for over 50 years. I am their only daughter. My husband is Arthur J. Gerber of New Wilmington. My Dad had two Granddaughters whom he loved very much: Jennifer Ray Gerber and Amanda Jo Gerber.

My Dad lived an incredible life. Dad began working in the line department of Penn Power on his 18th birthday only two months after he graduated from Greenville High School. Dad eventually became a Maintenance Supervisor at the New Castle Power Plant in West Pittsburgh. Dad loved sports and being active. In his younger years Dad played on a men's softball league, a bowling league and numerous golf leagues. Dad was also a member of the local Masonic Lodge. Dad and my Grandpa McClimans never missed a Steeler game or a Pirates game and when the Pirates won the World Series in 1960, Mom and Dad hopped in the car to be part of the celebration in Pittsburgh. (That was before I was born.) LOL

Dad was quite the outdoorsman and spent many nights hunting with friends and family in Marionville at their hunting camp. In the early days, he hunted ducks and geese and later deer and bear. Dad taught me how to shoot a gun and one of my fondest memories is going up to the camp to shoot cans off a fallen log.

My Dad loved to play cards. He belonged to a men's card club and was known to go home with all the chips on many occasions. In fact, legend has it that my Dad went to the annual police charity poker tournament one year and won back the money he had to pay for a speeding ticket that year.

My Dad loved the beach. For more than 10 years our family joined the Kingery family and spent our family vacations together at the Outer Banks. Dad loved deep-sea fishing and surf fishing. In later years, Mom and Dad became snow birds leaving for sunny Florida every winter and eventually Dad moved to Anna Maria Island in Florida where he walked the beach and enjoyed a view of one of the Tampa Bay inlets from his home.

My Dad is probably best known for the friends he leaves behind. And there were a lot of them. Dad still met high school friends on a regular basis, had friends all over Pennsylvania, Michigan, Florida and even Nova Scotia! Dad loved being with his friends for coffee every morning, he loved helping people, and he was smart. My Dad could solve problems and was especially known for timing himself each morning while completing the crossword puzzle over coffee in Florida. He would call me and tell me how he completed the crossword in less than five minutes, 33 seconds.

Last, my Dad loved and was proud of me, his son-in-law Art, his granddaughters Jen and Amanda and his "adopted" daughter, Jill Jack. We will all miss him dearly and our hearts our heavy.

Denise C. Murphy Gerber

A celebration of life service will be held at 1:00 PM on Saturday, October 29th at the New Wilmington Presbyterian Church in New Wilmington, PA. The family will receive friends at the church following the ceremony. In lieu of flowers, a donation can be made to the New Wilmington Fire Department.

Arrangements by Smith Funeral Home, 310 W. Neshannock Ave,

New Wilmington, PA 16142