Toney Murphy
Senior Master Sergeant Toney A. Murphy, age 83, of Union City passed away Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025, at Laurelwood Health Care Center in Jackson.
Services will be 1 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025, at White-Ranson Funeral Home, with Bro. Steve Carr officiating. Burial will follow in Mt. Olive Cemetery.
Visitation will be 11 a.m. until service time on Thursday at the funeral home.
Sgt. Murphy was retired from the Tennessee Air Force after more than 38 years of military service spanning four decades from 1960-2002. He originally enlisted in the US Air Force in November 1960 and served nine years of continuous active duty. During this time, he provided world wide support of the Air Force mission to include the Vietnam War.
Upon Sgt. Murphy’s return from the war, he found the US Air Force Reserves after a short break in service. He served at Eglin AFB in Destin-Fort Walton Beach, Fla., Keesler AFB in Biloxi, Miss., and Dobbins AFB in Marietta, Ga. While at Keesler AFB in Biloxi, Miss., Sgt. Murphy flew the C-130H aircraft as an instructor flight engineer in the “Storm Chasers” weather recon squadron. While in the weather squadron, Sgt. Murphy flew over 15 named hurricanes.
While stationed with the 118th and 105th in Nashville, Sgt. Murphy provided World Wide support for his unit. He was deployed to many overseas areas in his 10 years with the 105th to include Panama, Germany, England and other NATO countries. He provided airlift support to the war torn Balkans States.
During Sgt. Murphy’s tour in Vietnam, he flew over 950 combat hours that encompassed over 1,000 combat missions. For his effort, he was awarded the distinguished flying cross, five air metals and several other decorations. He was also a career US Civil Service Employee with the Defense Contract Management Agency. He was a Quality Assurance Representative, Quality Section Chief, Quality Area Chief and Area Technical Facilitator. He performed quality audits at various Government Contractor Plants in Middle and West Tennessee and northern Alabama. Sgt. Murphy was also a certified Quality Management System Auditor being registered by the International Register of Certificated Auditors (IRCA) as a lead auditor.
Murphy, originally from Columbus, Ga., was married to the former Elwanda Edwards of Union City on July 16, 1966, and claimed Union City and Obion County as home. He was born on Jan. 1, 1942, to the late William Edward Murphy Sr. and the late Rosa Lee Callaway Murphy. In addition to his wife, Elwanda, he is survived by two sons and daughters-in-law, Anthony Joshua Murphy and Katie of Gallatin and Daniel Edwards Murphy and Lindsay of Bell Buckle; four grandchildren, Hallie Murphy, Brooklyn Murphy, Ailey Murphy and Elijah Edwards Murphy; and several nieces and nephews.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two brothers, William E. Murphy and Danny Murphy; and a sister, Geraldine Gulsby.
The Messenger 9.20.25