Friends and family gathered in Sequim on Saturday, Jan. 12, to celebrate the life of Caleb Temple Murphy — better known to everyone as “Cal.”

Born and raised in Pasadena, Calif., Murphy was the son of a very successful family who weathered the Great Depression. He attended Lehigh University in Pennsylvania and the University of California-Davis.

When World War II began Murphy was deemed 4-F, but with his experience of boating he was able to join the Merchant Marines and serve his country.

Always a great athlete, Murphy excelled in racquetball (at the ages of 58, 59 and 60) and tennis in his youth. He was also a longtime bridge player and continues to play poker each week.

Nancy Erickson saw Cal play tennis in her hometown in Massachusetts when she was just 15, and told her mother that that was the man she wanted to marry when she grew up.

After the war, Murphy hopped on a train to Massachusetts to look her up and the rest is history. The two married on Sept. 5, 1945 — a love story that has lived on for 73 years.

The couple raised three children – daughters Lucy and Lynne, and son Pieter – and raised their family in the San Fernando Valley. They also take great pride in their family that includes six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Cal and Nancy moved to Sunland in the Sequim area in the early 1980s, following neighbors from Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., who moved to the area.

Cal remains an active resident in Sequim, having served in the past as President of the SunLand Owners Association, as President of SunLand Golf Men’s Club, as Commodore of the Sequim Bay Yacht Club, and a longtime board member of the Division 7 Homeowners of Sunland.

He has participated locally in many causes and remains an easily recognized resident about town. Cal is particularly proud of the role that he and Nancy played in supporting the United Cerebral Palsy Association of California, including building a school for students with Cerebral Palsy when their other school closed.

Friends say Cal is known by many for his wit, smile, great memory, wonderful stories and most of all his charming wife Nancy, and that many people wanted to be present to let Cal know how much he is admired and loved. This 100 years celebration was hosted by friends, and as the word got out the celebration grew to a standing-room-only crowd.