Tuesday, November 26, 2019
We have not met, but I had the honor of being one of Robert's classmates for 8 years at Little Flower. He was quiet, but not shy, and, by my observations, took in everything the nuns and lay teachers were teaching him quite easily. In shorthand, he was very smart. I knew Robert fairly well for those years, and it was so much fun to see him again at our 2012 Little Flower reunion. Robert said to me: Isn't it a gas to see Sr. St. Patrick?" It was, of course. She was our first grade teacher. I will always be grateful to Robert, and his fellow reunion committee members, e.g. Paul Haaga, Judy Ferguson, and all the others, for putting together for us a spectacular 3-day reunion. The other classes were jealous. Robert was the type of classmate I gravitated to---totally with it, and totally kind! (I also always admired his penny loafers, but I don't think I ever said anything about that to my parents). In Jan., 2017, when I visited Robert, along with Paul and Judy, he handed me a copy of "Princeton: America's Campus", with this inscription: "For Bucky Murphy, a fellow gorilla on the playground, who shared his formative years with me, on another campus miles and years away. Robert". The 'gorilla' reference is to a playground game called 'gorilla tag' that the boys in our class engaged in. I extend to all of you my sincerest condolences on Robert's passing. I am sad, but I am with you. Bucky
