Automotive Executive. He led General Motors Corp. through a booming period of the 1970s as chairman and CEO from 1974 to 1981, when the automaker accounted for well over half of all cars and trucks sold in the United States. GM had become so powerful, the U.S. government was keeping an eye on the company as a possible monopoly that needed to be broken up. A tall, reserved executive, he was the stable, dignified head of the company. He was known for his character. He was former chairman of the Business Roundtable, an association of top U.S. CEOs, a director of the University of Illinois Foundation, a director of the United Negro College Fund and a member of the board of overseers of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York. He was born in Hornell, N.Y., in 1915 but moved with his family to Chicago in his youth. After graduating from the University of Illinois with an accounting degree, he joined GM in 1938 as a clerk on the comptroller's staff. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1943 to 1946. He took the helm of GM in 1974 in the midst of an oil crisis. U.S. customers were starting to demand smaller, fuel-efficient cars, but the impact of the Japanese imports had yet to take hold. During his tenure as chairman and CEO, GM reached a sales record in the United States of 7.1 million cars and trucks in 1978. After his retirement on Jan. 1, 1981, he continued to serve as a member of the board of directors until May 1988. A man considered by most of the highest integrity, he died of natural causes in Boynton Beach, Fla. He is survived by his wife of nearly 65 years, Catherine Rita (Sis) Murphy, daughters Catherine A. Murphy and Maureen M. Fay, son Thomas A. Murphy Jr., eight grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

Thomas Murphy Obituary

Family-Placed Funeral Notice

THOMAS AQUINAS MURPHY Born December 10, 1915, Tom graduated from Leo High School in Chicago in 1932 and earned a B.S. in accountancy in 1938 from the University of Illinois. Following graduation, Tom began what was to become a 42-year career with the General Motors (GM) Corporation. World War II interrupted that career from 1943 to 1946, when Tom served as a lieutenant in the United States Naval Reserves. After returning to GM, he served as Director of Pricing Analysis in GM's New York office (1954-1956), Director of the Financial Analysis Section (1956-1959), Assistant Treasurer (1959-1967), Comptroller (based in the Detroit office 1967-1968), Treasurer (1968-1970), Vice-President and Group Executive in charge of the Car and Truck Group for the United States and Canada (1970-1972), Vice-Chairman of the board (1972-1974) and Chairman and CEO (1974-1980). During his career, Tom sat on the board of directors of NBD Bancorp, Inc., Pepsico, Inc., Tops Market, Inc., and the Maxaxam Corporation. His professional affiliations included serving as a board member of the Financial Executives Institute; chairman (1979) of the Business Roundtable and member of several of its committees; chairman of the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation; and member of the Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Association, the National Association of Accountants, and the Guaranty International Council. His philanthropic activities included serving on the Greater Detroit Board of Commerce and as a member of the boards of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, the Overseas Development Council, the United Way of America, the United Negro College Fund, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, and the Fluor Foundation. He was a member of the University of Illinois Foundation and earned numerous awards and honors from the University, including the Illini Achievement Award, the UIUC Department of Accountancy Alumnus of the Month Award, the Alumni Association Achievement Award, the Illini Comback Award, and the UIUC College of Business Distinguished Alumnus Award. He was a Knight of Malta and a Knight of the Holy Sepulchre, and received awards from several Catholic institutions including Boston College, Saint Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary, and Manhattan College. Tom held over twenty honorary degrees, including degrees awarded by Canisius College (Buffalo), Tougaloo College (Mississippi), Clark College (Georgia), the University of Detroit, Yeshiva University (New York), the College of Mount Saint Vincent, Fordham University, DePauw University (Indiana), the University of Notre Dame, and Madonna University (Michigan). Tom received the DeLaSalle Medal of Honor along with Mother Teresa and Jimmy Carter. Tom is survived by Catherine Rita (Maguire) Murphy, his wife of over 64 years; three children Thomas Aquinas Murphy, Jr., Maureen Murphy Fay, and Catherine (Cam) Murphy; eight grandchildren, and ten great-grandchildren. Visiting hours will be held on Friday, January 20, 2006 from 2 to 4 PM and 6 to 8 PM at Lorne & Sons Funeral Home, 745 NE 6th Avenue (Federal Hwy. Northbound), Delray Beach, FL. A funeral mass will be celebrated on Saturday, January 21, 2006 at 10:30 AM at St. Vincent De Paul Seminary, 10701 South Military Trail, Boynton Beach, FL 33436. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to St. Vincent De Paul Seminary or to St. Pius X Catholic School, for Tuition Assistance, 2210 No. Elm Street, Greensboro, NC 27408

Published by The Palm Beach Post on Jan. 20, 2006.