The family of retired Naval Chief R. Gene Murphree is sad to announce that their beloved patriarch, Gene, reported in at his new heavenly duty station on Sunday morning, September 6, 2020 shortly after "O'Dark-Thirty," or just before 3:00 a.m.   This permanent deployment, at age 92, follows an unexpected yet brief bout with pneumonia at St. Thomas Rutherford Hospital in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Chief Gene Murphree retired from the Navy after 24 years of service in 1975.  His specialty was aviation electronics, and he continued teaching those young Navy sailors as a contract instructor for many years following his retirement.  Chief Murphree is remembered for his many years of loving Godly service through First Baptist Church of Millington even more than for his exemplary naval career.

Ruben Gene Murphree was the son of Charlie McTyre Murphree and Ada Thompson Murphree, both deceased.  He had one sister, Evelyn Vivian Murphree, deceased.  Gene married Mary Elizabeth (Beth) Dockery Murphree on December 28, 1946, and they celebrated 61 years of marriage before Beth's death in February, 2008.  Gene leaves a daughter and son-in-law, Maryjean and Steve Gregory, and a son and daughter-in-law, Charles and Amy Murphy Murphree.  He also leaves three grandsons:  Shaun Patrick Brewer, Christopher James Murphree, and Matthew Ryan Brewer.  Ryan is married to Kristi Larsen Brewer, and there are two great grandchildren, Aaron Josiah, and Amber Lynn.

Gene also had two brothers in law, Charles Samuel Dockery and Edward B. Dockery, who was married to Grace Hughes Dockery, all deceased.  There were four nieces and nephews:  Edward B. (Rusty) Dockery, Thomas Carson Dockery, Donna Carol Dockery Gray, and Sherry Anne Dockery Bonner (deceased), and many greats and great-greats as well.

Funeral service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, September 11, 2020, at the chapel of Woodhaven Funeral Home in Millington, TN.  Burial at Woodhaven cemetery will follow at 2:00 p.m.