Nicholas M. Murphy ’57

As described by his family, Nicholas enjoyed smoking cigarettes, vaping, and a daily gin martini. He died June 3, 2022, from a rare blood disease, not from the habits, which some now consider unhealthy. 

Born Jan. 20, 1936, in Pelham, N.Y., he was one of the youngest members of our class. At Princeton, he majored in history, was a member of Cap and Gown and the Right Wing Club, and held a coveted scholarship in Naval ROTC. He roomed with Wright Elliott, Sumner Rahr, Jim Conner, and Hodding Carter during senior year, and was a good friend of Arbie Thalacker and Horsey Zweiback. 

After serving on board ships and then in naval intelligence in Turkey, he married Anka Zapp, the daughter of the German ambassador. Thereafter he joined the foreign service, serving in Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, France, Senegal, and Washington, D.C. He continued serving the State Department after retiring and earned a law degree from the University of Maryland in 2000, becoming an expert in declassifying State Department documents and Freedom of Information Act matters. He acted as an expert witness in the U.S. v. [Bradley] Manning trial.

Nicholas was predeceased by Anka after 47 years of marriage. He is survived by his daughter, Cecile Fay; son Nicholas S. and his wife Veena; grandson Max; three of his five brothers; and numerous nieces and nephews.