January 19, 1968 �" March 4, 2016
James Murphy, 48, passed away after a heroic battle with emphysema, lung cancer, and pneumonia on March 4, 2016, surrounded by loved ones, at Kaiser Permanente San Francisco.
James moved from Bakersfield to San Francisco in 1987 and pursued a degree in fashion at both the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) and the Louise Salinger Academy of Fashion, now part of the Art Institute of California.
In San Francisco, James' creative life truly flourished as he designed and produced garments for a number of local designers as well as his own collections under the monikers Murdoc James and Grey Roger. He even had a brief stint crafting costumes for The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies. Aside from fashion, James enjoyed sci-fi novels, classic cars, Bond movies, new wave music, walks in Golden Gate Park, and spending time with friends, his longtime partner, and the cats he'd adopted over the years.
James is survived by family, friends and his partner of 16 years, Josh Rotter. He will be truly missed by all those whose lives he touched.
Donations may be made in 's memory to the San Francisco SPCA: https://www.sfspca.org/