Obituary of Joseph Murphy de Poortere

With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of Joseph Murphy de Poortere, a true Irishman at heart who filled our lives with storytelling, laughter, music, dance and unwavering love for family and community.

On February 18, 2025, Joe, “Murph”, Uncle Joe, and most importantly, Dad, left this world to join the great ceili in the sky, leaving behind a legacy of kindness, generosity, and Irish spirit that touched all who knew him. 

Born to the late Maureen (Merrigan) and Robert de Poortere on November 10, 1972, Joe grew up in Green Village, NJ. Joe was a member of Christ the King Church in New Vernon and attended Oratory Prep School in Summit, where you could always hear his mother’s cowbell ringing at the basketball and baseball games. He graduated from New Jersey Institute of Technology in 1996. Following in his mother’s footsteps with all five brothers, Joe both studied and taught Ceili Irish dance at The Peter Smith School of Irish Dancing, promoting Irish culture. He performed at Radio City Music Hall, Carnegie Hall, and internationally – and even made a notable appearance on SNL.

An engineer by profession, Joe founded Thomas Murphy & Associates as Chairman/CEO in 2008. Among its many accomplishments in the last 17 years, his company won the AIANY Design Award design three years in a row. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus in Morristown.

Joe is survived by his wife, Jennifer (Ryan), and their beloved daughter Nora; his brothers Robert “P.J.” (Caroline), Thomas (Patricia), Michael (Melanie), Jimmy (Christine) and Patrick (Melissa), along with numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and in-laws.

Visitation will be at Burroughs, Kohr & Dangler Funeral Home, 106 Main Street in Madison on Monday, February 24^th from 4-7 p.m. (A steady flow throughout the Funeral Home will ensure all guests will be able to pay their repects.) The funeral mass will be held at the Church of Christ the King, 16 Blue Mill Road in New Vernon on Tuesday, February 25^th at 10:30 a.m. Burial to follow at St. Vincent Martyr Cemetery, 82 Noe Avenue in Madison. 

There will be no repast at this difficult time. In lieu of flowers, and to honor the greatest joy of Joe’s life, an educational fund will be organized for his daughter Nora at a later date. 

May the road rise to meet you, Joe, and may the wind be always at your back. May Joe’s soul rest in peace.