CHI Saint Joseph Health Mourns Passing of Jeff Murphy

Janie Slaven, The Times-Tribune, Corbin, Ky.
·2 min read

Aug. 17—LEXINGTON — CHI Saint Joseph Health is mourning the loss of Jeff Murphy, vice president for Marketing and Communications for the Lexington-based health care system and southeast division vice president for CommonSpirit Health.

Murphy died unexpectedly Saturday, Aug. 13, in Lexington.

"Jeff greeted everyone with a smile and his human kindness touched the lives of so many people across our ministry and in our community," said Anthony A. Houston, Ed.D, FACHE, CEO, CHI Saint Joseph Health. "He mentored many marketing and communications professionals over his three decades of service and was much beloved across our ministry and the Commonwealth. Our hearts are broken. He will be greatly missed."

Murphy joined Saint Joseph in 1991 as part of the marketing and communications team for Saint Joseph Hospital, soon after graduating from the University of Kentucky. He served as director of marketing and communications for Saint Joseph Health Care beginning in 1998; was then promoted to regional director of marketing and communications for the former Saint Joseph Health System in 2008; and was system director and vice president for marketing and communications during the transition to and from KentuckyOne Health.

He played a key role as our ministry evolved and grew from the Lexington-based Saint Joseph Hospital and Saint Joseph East, as Saint Joseph London, Saint Joseph Mount Sterling, Saint Joseph Berea and Flaget Memorial Hospital joined the Saint Joseph Health System, and Saint Joseph Jessamine was built in Nicholasville.

Murphy was a big fan of the arts and the Lexington community. He was a member of the executive committee for LexArts, where he served as vice chair for grants, and was a strong voice in support of the Broadway Live! series at the Lexington Opera House, as well as many other activities that brought the goodness and healing of art to Kentucky.

Murphy was preceded in death by his father, John Bearl Murphy, and is survived by his mother, Janice Murphy; his sister, Jill Floyd, and her husband, Steve Floyd, as well as numerous friends within CHI Saint Joseph Health and across Kentucky.

Information regarding memorial services will be forthcoming.