Ryan Patrick Murphy

Ryan Patrick Murphy was born on June 28, 1971. Everyone but his sister Lea was excited he had finally arrived. Lea, with three brothers already, wanted a sister. Ryan, a boy, simply would not do.

That lasted until she met him. That first meeting was memorable. Back in those days, children, germ-laden as they were, were not allowed in hospitals and certainly not in newborn wards. But Ryan's parents Bob and Diane had a solution.

Bob lined the older children, Joe, Shaun, Lea and Kevin, up on the sidewalk outside of St. Anthony Hospital in Hays, Kansas, told them to stay put, and look up to a certain window on the fourth floor. It wasn't long and Diane was holding Ryan up to the window to show off their little brother.

Ryan came home to a family ready to welcome him. The older four kids were ready and willing to dote on him, and dote they did.

Ryan went to Visitation Grade School in Kansas City from 1979 until 1990, when he attended Bishop Miege High School, where he played soccer for the Stags. In 1995, he received his bachelor's degree in education at Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kansas, before moving to Seattle to work for his brother Shaun at Working Spaces in the summer of 1996.

In 2000, Ryan met his wife Mara through work. On their first date, Ryan wore a pair of cowboy boots and Mara knew that she could take this city guy home to meet her country family and friends. They dated for three years and were engaged November of 2003. Mara and Ryan married in May of 2004 on Kauai, Hawaii. It was a simple ceremony with just the two of them surrounded by nature. It was perfect. They lived and worked in the Seattle area until April of 2010. At that time they moved to Billings.

After being together for 16 years, they were extremely excited to be expecting a baby girl! On Dec. 10, 2016, their daughter, Tova Adele, was born in Billings. Ryan helped deliver baby Tova and she was the absolute apple of his eye. He doted on her every need and thought she was pure perfection in every way.

Throughout Ryan's life, he loved the outdoors. It was simplicity at its best. Some of his hobbies included fly fishing and pheasant hunting with his buddies and his beloved bird dog, Jaeger. Photography was a passion of Ryan's. He especially loved capturing nature, wildlife and outdoor scenery with his lens. And any day behind the wheel driving down the road looking for new scenery and adventures was a good day to him.

Ryan and his wife Mara enjoyed spending time together. A few of their favorite activities to do together were going to the movies; watching Sunday football at home with their pets; visiting family and friends; attending country concerts and rodeos; taking Jaeger for country walks; road trips to explore and look for wildlife; sky gazing, searching for shooting stars and the northern lights and also the perfect clouds, sunrises and sunsets. They enjoyed nature's beauty and two very special places for them to visit were Yellowstone National Park and Hawaii.

Ryan never met a stranger and the love he showed to people was returned in their love for him. He was known for his kindness and consideration towards people. Ryan had many talents but perhaps his biggest gift was his incredible sense of humor that radiated from the inside out. If you ever saw Ryan laugh, you know you experienced something incredibly special. There were many times we thought he might laugh himself into a heart attack, such was the depth of it. He loved to tell jokes and be ornery and he especially loved to zing one-liners. And if you ever saw Ryan laugh it was impossible not to laugh yourself. It was a gift to be witness to it.

We love you, Ryan. Thank you for being you.

Survivors include his loving wife Mara Gundermann Murphy and his sweet little daughter Tova Adele of Billings; parents Robert and Diane Murphy of Sequim, Washington; brother Joe Murphy and children Caitlin, Seamus and Fiona of Bellevue, Washington; sister Lea Murphy (Ruth Jenkins) of Kansas City, Missouri, and daughter Lauren Murphy (Patrick Thorn); sister Shannon Pryor (Jason) and children Rachel, Joshua and Edyn; sister-in-law Jill Murphy and children Dylan, Tiernan and Sadie of Seattle; mother-in-law, Wanda Gundermann of Opheim; father-in-law, Dennis Gundermann of Glentana; sister-in-law, Arliss Gundermann Benz (Dan) and son Tyler of Lake Tapps, Washington; grandmother Lorraine Gundermann of Glasgow; and many special and loved aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.

He is preceded into death by his brothers, Shaun and Kevin; brother-in-law Neal Gundermann; grandparents William and Susan Murphy and Harold and Mae Kleckner.

Please join us to celebrate Ryan’s life on Tuesday, March 14, at 1 p.m., at Michelotti-Sawyers Mortuary. If you would like to share any stories about our Ryan, you will be more than welcome to do so at his service. A gathering will immediately follow at the Elk’s Club (2 blocks south).