[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 30 (Friday, February 13, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E279]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         HONORING THE LIFE AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF JOSEPH C. MURPHY

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. MADELEINE Z. BORDALLO

                                of guam

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, February 13, 2009

  Ms. BORDALLO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and 
achievements of Joseph C. Murphy, who passed away on February 5, 2009. 
Joe will be remembered as a former editor of the Pacific Daily News and 
as a sharp-witted columnist.
   Joe was born on February 23, 1927, in Appleton, Wisconsin. At the 
age of 17 he joined the United States Navy and spent a year in combat 
during World War II. He returned home to finish high school and later 
obtained a degree in journalism from the University of Wisconsin at 
Madison. After graduation, Joe worked as a reporter, editor and 
columnist in Wisconsin, Oregon, and California before moving to Guam in 
1965.
   Joe was the editor of the Guam Daily News, the precursor to the 
Pacific Daily News, a Gannett newspaper. He wrote an insightful column 
called ``Pipe Dreams'' which made us laugh, think and debate. His 
writings were observations and musing on island life, our unique 
community, and local politics.
   Over the years he developed the concept of ``OOG'', ``Only On 
Guam'', a phrase that became synonymous with island life and oddities 
about our community. His humorous OOG anecdotes were later consolidated 
into two publications, Guam Is a Four Letter Word and Son of a Four 
Letter Word.
   Joe loved Guam and his columns often urged our community and our 
leaders to tackle the challenges of a developing island. He often wrote 
retrospective pieces where he observed the progress and changes that 
our island has undergone since his arrival forty four years ago.
   My thoughts and prayers are with his wife Marion, their children, 
Colleen, Maureen, Shannon, Kerry, Tim, Erin, Megan, and Joey and their 
extended family and friends. We honor his life's work as a journalist 
and his contributions to our community. Most of all, he will be 
remembered by many as a gifted writer who had an enormous impact in our 
island community. We are grateful for his contributions and we will 
miss him dearly.

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