Korby's Connections: Murphy will be missed

I was saddened to hear the news that Mary Murphy had died on Christmas Day. She was, for many years when I lived in Scanlon, my legislator in the Minnesota House of Representatives, from 1976 to 2022. She was the longest-serving woman in the House, and second-longest serving legislator ever. She lost her reelection bid in 2022 by 33 votes.

She was a trailblazer and effective in what was - especially when she began - a man's world. Murphy's full-time job was as a social studies and history teacher at Duluth Central High School. She resided in Hermantown.

Murphy's causes were usually directed at health care, juvenile and adult court justice, labor, and other working class issues. She was a Democrat but listened to all constituents and tried to find answers to all their problems, hardships and causes. The following are just two examples that helped me and my family directly.

For many years, I worked at Clyde Iron in West Duluth and had the luxury of full-time benefits, including health care. When Clyde Iron stopped manufacturing heavy equipment permanently, I went to work for the Lake Superior Labor Management Association. The group was a nonprofit, and I was the only employee. I had a pregnant wife, and soon no extended benefits from Clyde. There were several other labor management groups scattered across Minnesota. I told Mary Murphy of my plight along with these other associations.

One afternoon, I received a call from Mary. I could hear commotion in the background. "Steve, employees of the Labor Management groups across the state are soon going to be eligible to purchase group health care insurance from the State of Minnesota. We just passed the bill," she said. She was calling me directly from the floor of the House of Representatives in St. Paul. I was delighted and very impressed that she took the time to immediately tell me. She had my vote forever.

It's hard to even imagine now, but at the turn of the century, my wife led a group of citizens attempting to pass smokefree indoor air laws. There was a lot of resistance and it was very controversial. In 1986, the Surgeon General had determined that no level of secondhand smoke was healthy. First, there were local smokefree ordinances passed at housing authorities, then private businesses, and then entire communities. Moose Lake was the first city to pass a smokefree restaurant ordinance in Minnesota - closely followed by Cloquet. Public hearings drew large crowds. It was for the safety of all workers and visitors to make worksites smokefree.

To pass smokefree laws, the citizen group needed legislative champions. My wife called on Mary Murphy. She accepted the challenge. The Cloquet ordinance went into effect in 2003, and the revised Minnesota Clean Indoor Air Act became effective in 2007. Imagine how this bill improved the health of workers and patrons alike.

Mary Murphy, thanks for accepting all challenges. Rest in peace. You will be missed.

Steve Korby's interest in writing goes back to when he was in fourth grade and editor of the Scan-Satellite school newspaper in Scanlon. He welcomes ideas for human interest stories and tales regarding Carlton County residents, projects, history, and plans by email at [email protected].