Francis Seward Murphy was born September 14, 1914, in Portland, Oregon. He attended Alameda Grade School and Grand High School. He graduated with an Anthropology degree from Reed College in 1936. He died in Portland, of complications from polyneuropathy on March 29, 2003 at the age of 88.

He was a delegate from Reed College to the Japan-America Student Conference in Tokyo, Japan in 1936.

He worked for the Oregonian beginning in 1936, as a office boy, and served in the U.S. army from 1942-1946. He returned to the Oregonian to organize a new microfilm system, and to assist the radio columnist, after the war. He became the radio and television editor in 1952, writing the column: “Behind the Mike.” He retired in 1979.

He had a lifelong interest in archeology, having met and spoken at length with famed Egyptologist Howard Carter, at the age of 9 in 1922. In later life, he took many trips to Mayan ruins—and made significant discoveries in Quintana Roo. His interest in archeology and photography led to his publication of “Dragon Mask Temples in Central Yucatan” in 1988.

His second wife was Clare Eastham Cooke (Reed ’38). They were married in 1974, dividing their time between winters in Hong Kong, summers in Portland, and traveling the world. Clare died in 1991, and Francis retired to Portland.