Allen Jerome Murphy

Allen Jerome Murphy, 87, of Idaho Falls, passed away at home, on his birthday, July 11, 2020, of a rare blood disease called Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS). He was under the care of his loving family and One Source Home Health & Hospice.

Allen was born in Clarissa, Minnesota, on July 11, 1933. He graduated with a class of 17 in Clarissa, Minnesota, returning for many years for the all school (all grades due to the small number of students) class reunions. He knew everyone in the school, as well as their parents, and he loved to talk with his siblings about the good old days in Clarissa and all the people they knew and who was related to who. With a population of 500, it is understandable that he would know them all in one way or another. 

Allen loved sports and his beloved Minnesota Vikings, through their good times and bad, and never missed a chance to watch the Minnesota Twins baseball games with his sister.  

Having heard of a new purchasing concept for farm and ranch supplies, Allen, his father, Clinton, and brother, Laurel Wayne Murphy, had planned to go to Montana or Texas and open a farm and ranch supply store. However, in 1959, passing through the fertile valley of east Idaho, they decided to drive no more and opened a store at Curtis and 17th Street in Idaho Falls called C-A-L Farm and Ranch Stores. C for Clinton, A for Allen, and L for Laurel. The business was very successful and moved next to the stockyards on Yellowstone Avenue, and then to a larger building at 665 East Anderson. The Murphy brothers expanded the business when they opened four more stores in Rexburg, Blackfoot, Pocatello, and Burley. In 1989, the stores were sold. Today, the Idaho Falls C-A-L Ranch store is located next to Walmart on Hitt Road.

In 1965, Allen found his bride, Dixie Jean Lee, while bowling, and they were married on November 29,1967, in Nassau, Bahamas, 53 years ago. They loved to travel and almost everywhere they went had to have a golf course. After the stores were sold and Allen officially retired, Allen played golf.  Allen would play five and six days in a row, but never less than three times a week. When on trips from Montana to Florida with his friends, he sometimes played 36 holes a day, keeping up with his 20-year younger buddies. After selling the stores, Dixie and Allen bought a home in Arizona so he could play golf year-round. Unfortunately, when he began having back problems, his golfing slowed, and eventually he was unable to golf at all the last three years. 

It’s only logical that a boy from Minnesota, the land of 10,000 lakes, would be an avid fisherman, and he loved this area for those opportunities. However, his favorite fishing days were annual trips deep in the Northwest Territories of Canada where the only access to the fishing camps was by float planes. He especially loved fishing with his two sons, nephews, and brothers. They brought home more King Salmon and Ling Cod than we could eat. His garage walls have several mounted fish, including King Salmon, Trout, and a near record Grayling, proving he was a championship fisherman.  

Allen was a kind, gentle, and humorous man. His dry one-liners were quick to come, and he kept Dixie laughing through all the years. He will be so missed by his wife, children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. We were blessed to be part of his life and will look forward to getting a hug and a one-liner when it is our turn to join him!

Allen has one daughter, Mary Nicklas (Joe Dropulich) of Coeur d’Alene, ID; sons, Shane and Clinton Murphy, both of Idaho Falls; brother, Wayne (Sharon) Murphy of Idaho Falls; grandsons, Beau and Ryker Murphy, both of Odgen, UT, Allen Jade “AJ” Murphy of Idaho Falls, Zachary (Leslie) Nicklas of Houston,TX; granddaughters, Maddi Flanssas of Idaho Falls, Alexis (Seth) Roth of Salt Lake City, UT, Skye Murphy of Dickinson, ND; and 12 great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Calvin and Rodney Murphy; and sister, Mona Wheeler, and her husband, Jim. 

The family would like to thank all the doctors, nurses, CNAs, and therapists at the Idaho Falls Community Hospital who took such good care of Allen for his last 20 days.  We would also like to thank One Source Home Health & Hospice for their professionalism and comfort of our family!

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, July 18, 2020, at Wood Funeral Home East Side, 963 S. Ammon Road. The family will visit with friends from 1-1:45 p.m. prior to services. Burial will be in the Ammon Cemetery. The funeral services will be broadcast live to this page. 

Allen was a charitable man, and he would request that in lieu of flowers, please make donations to your favorite charity.