Dennis R. Murphy, 67, of Festus died March 6, 2021, at his home. Mr. Murphy was a St. Louis County police officer for 16 years. He was a pastor at Northern Oaks Chapel Baptist Church in Minnetonka, Minn., Blackwell Baptist Church and Luckey Baptist Church. He was a retired community coordinator with the Jefferson County Community Partnership, where he helped developed the Hammers for Hope and Jeffco Express programs. For the Isaiah Connection, he served as a director of Alaska field operations. Born March 4, 1954, in St. Louis, he was the son of the late Paul E. and Leslie McKeever of St. Louis.
He is survived by his wife: Kathy Murphy, whom he married April 26, 1975; three children: Matthew (Gretchen) Murphy of Grantwood Village, Christopher (Samantha) Murphy of Arnold and Kim (Larry) Bennett of Festus; three sisters: Mary (Randy) Martin of Sikeston, Diane (Tom) Fitzgerald of Affton and Kathy (Rick) Bigogno of Oakville; three brothers: Tim (Tamara) McKeever of Pevely, Paul (Shelley) McKeever of De Soto and Richard (Diane) Conner of Garfield, Ark.; and six grandchildren: Conner and Molly Murphy and Emma, Madison, Lillian and Cody Bennett.
Visitation will be from 5-8 p.m. Tuesday, March 9, at Dietrich-Mothershead Funeral Home, 220 N. Main St., in De Soto. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday, March 10, at Luckey Baptist Church, 5252 Hwy. Y, in De Soto, officiated by Owen Taylor. Burial will be in Luckey Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of Dietrich-Mothershead Funeral Home.