RIP Mike Murphy

[Scott Rollert]

Mike Murphy Sr. 1936-2018 RB#146

With sadness, I found out Mike passed away early this morning. His health had failed him for the last year, and he's in a better place now.

For those of you who knew Mike, you know what a laid back guy he was and how he loved the pursuit of the buried beer can. I travelled thousands of miles with Mike over the years and he made some astonishing finds. Glad to have been with him for many of those.

He was a Vietnam veteran and tuberculosis survivor, that never kept him from swinging his Gold Bug looking for the next pit.

The last can he dug was this Karl's K, fresh from the Colorado dirt.

Until we meet again old friend!

[keithker]

@Scott Rollert So sorry to hear that. Mike was RB #146 and known as rustamust in the forum. He was a RB HOF nominee this past year. He was be missed but his dumping stories and contributions will live forever.

[Cap-Sealed]

Mike was an awesome guy! He came to the first Albuquerque Roadrunner Chapter show back in the early 80s - that's where we met him and Scott Rollert. We did some killer trades back in the day and I got one of his best Silver State Beer cones too. He will be sorely missed!

[Scott Rollert]

Ed is spot on about Mike. He loved to trade. Didn't see his collection as dollar signs. One of the first guys I knew that would downgrade when he dug something for his shelf.

[CMD]

Best picture ever! After searching all those years , you guys finally dug some decent SIlver States!

[Scott Rollert]

Not bad for a guy that was 75 when we dug those. I wish I had a pic of the 96 pre war Coors he found in Leadville. Most of which were the "Thoroly Aged" variety.

[Scott]

I did not know Mike well but considered him a friend. We shared a few beers and made some trades on the several occasions our paths crossed. I'm sorry to hear of his passing. He was an asset to our little community that will be missed. Be sure to raise a cold one in his honor this week in Omaha.

[Conehead]

He was a great guy I met way back when I lived in Albuquerque.

We'll miss you Mike. R.I.P.

Jim

[fiat128]

Mike was a great guy. Fun to hang out with at shows and I had the pleasure of dumping with him a few times. I got this Silver State from him. He told me he saw this very can smashed under a rock and that's what led him to dig and find the rest of them. Great story and every time I look at this I remember that story and him. He will be missed.

[Lovegun]

I never got to meet Mike in person, but talked to him a few times on the phone. After talking to him for probably a half an hour the first time. I felt like he had been a friend for years. He had even told me that if I came out that way to dig, that I had a place to stay. Sadly, that never happened. That's the kind soul he was.

[roy]

R.I.P Mike - really good - class man. roy

[Scott Rollert]

I'm glad you got that can Wiley. When Mike walked up with it, all you could see was a spot of the blue the size of a pencil eraser by the seam. He was grinning ear to ear knowing we were in the right place to find more.

[Cap-Sealed]

I remember when Mike went to California and was supposed to meet Fred & Hal at a pie house in the Sierras and they were going to take him digging. But they found a pit of Lisco FTs and no way were they leaving and blew him off. I lived in the San Francisco area at the time, and Mike called, said he was in CA and bummed, and wanted to dig. I told him to come on over, that we can dig the Leidigs dumps - it's all 30s cans! I take Mike there and the first can he digs is a 1950s yellow Coors! The only one in the dump! We dug Leidigs and Nu Deals that day and he forgot all about Fred & Hal. We had a blast!

[fiat128]

I'm glad you got that can Wiley. When Mike walked up with it, all you could see was a spot of the blue the size of a pencil eraser by the seam. He was grinning ear to ear knowing we were in the right place to find more.

I think I like the story more than the actual can. That's just the quintessential dumping story and Mike was one of the best to dump with (not that I got to do it more than a couple of times). I think maybe I'll print that story out and roll it up and put it on the inside of the can for any other future owner.

[Scott Rollert]

Thanks for the great remembrances, guys. Mike will truly be missed. Just returned from his full military memorial service.

If there's a Rusty OI in heaven, he'll find it!

[rusteditor]

I first "met" Mike during my first term as editor of Rustlings. Something in his story must have included the Denver Beer tabs. I remember mentioning that was a cool can I'd like to get one day. Next thing you know a box shows up with all three Denver cans. While relating this story to John Smoller at Canvention he told me "that's just the kind of guy Mike was". He will be missed.

Phil


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