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Kay (Fox) and Mike Murphy bequeath $50,000 for scholarships to Holmes High School, their beloved alma mater


Kay and Mike Murphy had a special love for Holmes High School.

 The two were very involved in school. Both were on the student council. He lettered in four sports – football, basketball, baseball and track, and also won a state championship in pole vaulting. 

Kay Fox was a cheerleader, member of the choir and bowling team. Members of the Class of 1952, Mike and Kay were homecoming king and queen their senior year. After college, Mike Murphy came back to teach and coach football for the Bulldogs. Murphy was also a charter member of the Covington School’s Athletic Hall of Fame.

From left to right:
Alvin Garrison, Covington Superintendent; Dan Francis, president, Covington Education Foundation; John Murphy, brother of Mike Murphy; and Chas Brannen, attorney for estate. (Photo form Covington Independent Public Schools)



”They had a special bond with Holmes High School,” said John Murphy, brother of Mike and administrator of their estate. “They felt they got a good education there. They always went back for special events and games. They were always interested in students. They never forgot about Holmes. They wanted to give something to help students to further their education.”



The couple did just that. They donated $50,000 to the Covington Education Foundation to be used for scholarships for Holmes students. Their family presented a check to the foundation members.



“What a wonderful gift,” said Dan Francis, president of the education foundation. “This is another opportunity to help Holmes students further their education.”



Francis said he has known the Murphys most of his life and even went to school with some of them. He is not surprised by the generous donation.



“They are service-minded people who want to serve their community,” Francis said. “They have been invested here for so many years. This gift is yet a reminder of the value of people – when they live their lives well there is always an on-going impact from folks who invest deeply.”



Chas Brannen, attorney for the trust, said the Murphys gave donations totaling $300,000 to six charities, including University of Cincinnati and Newport schools.



The Murphys were married for 61 years. Mike Murphy passed in 2018 and his wife died last year. Murphy was a high school football coach for many years, including at Highlands, Newport and Boone County high schools.

Throughout his career, Murphy won state championships and was named Northern Kentucky Athletic Conference Coach of the Year several times. In addition to the Covington Athletic Hall of Fame, Murphy was inducted into the Northern Kentucky Athletics Directors Hall of Fame and the Northern Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame in 1987.

Covington Independent Public Schools


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