RIP St. Louis LGBTQ Journalist and Activist Colin Murphy

As Colin Murphy battled cancer, he co-authored the following obituary with his longtime friend Colin Lovett. Murphy, a St. Louis-based LGBT journalist, wrote for the Vital Voice before co-founding #Boom Magazine with Lovett.

You can read also Lovett’s Q&A remembrance of his work with Murphy here.

Michael Colin Murphy, 53, died on Thursday, February 22, at Missouri Baptist Hospital after a valiant battle with cancer. He was a man of many interests from politics and history to writing, photography, and genealogy — the latter was a lifelong hobby he enjoyed immensely. 

Murphy, who went by Colin, was a celebrated journalist and advocate within the LGBT community throughout the St. Louis region and nationally, writing one of the longest running columns, “1 Out of 10 Ain’t Bad!” Throughout his career, he penned and photographed myriad stories on his prismatic community and interviewed high-profile politicians, celebrities and community leaders. But it remained the remarkable stories of the quiet heroes who toiled away for the betterment of their community that he enjoyed telling best.

An avid LGBT history buff, Murphy worked closely with the St. Louis LGBT History Project and donated personal materials to the LGBT Archives at UMSL and the Missouri History Museum. 

Murphy was an active and activist member of the St. Louis LGBT community. He was a member of the NLGJA (The Association of LGBTQ Journalists), the St. Louis LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce and the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. He previously served as vice president of the Late Knights of Pythias, vice president and president of Metro East Pride of Southwestern Illinois (MEPSI), secretary of The LGBT Center of St. Louis, and secretary of the LGBT Center of St. Louis Pride Scholarship Committee, and was a former co-promoter of the Miss Gay Midwest America and the Miss Gay Spirit of St. Louis Missouri America pageants. He also served as a member of the Vital VOICE Advisory Board and the stl250 Advisory Board.

In June 2023, Murphy was the recipient of the Lisa Wagaman Lifetime Community Service Award by Pride St. Louis, Inc., as well as previously being honored as a 2010 St. Louis Pride Parade Grand Marshal by the organization. Murphy was the recipient of the 2010 Missouri Award and 2011 New Day Award presented by the Miss Gay Missouri America pageant, the 2012 MEPSI Board of Directors Legacy Award and the 2013 Jerry Peek Lifetime Achievement Award from the Miss Gay Illinois America pageant. In 2016 he was honored for Excellence in Coverage by The Association of LGBT Journalists. Colin was also honored with proclamations honoring his journalism and advocacy from the mayor of St. Louis, the St. Louis Board of Aldermen and St. Louis County. 

Early in his career, Murphy’s byline regularly appeared locally in the Gay and Lesbian News Telegraph, the Show Me Guide, TWISL, Kolours, Missouri Pride and Slam! magazine. In 2001, he began writing for Vital VOICE, eventually becoming senior writer and then editor. In 2014, he launched his own LGBT publication #Boom Magazine, co-founded with his late husband, R. Kurt Ross, and Colin Lovett. Murphy was also a frequent contributor to national publications, including LGBTQNation and Queerty. 

Murphy met R. Kurt Ross, his partner and companion of 22 years in 1998, whom he married on March 12, 2010, in Iowa city, Iowa. They lived in Belleville and O’Fallon, Illinois, during their many years together enjoying their four dogs (Schnug, Puddle, Ty, and Scruffy), travel, flea markets, family, cooking and just life in general despite its many challenges. Ross died during the pandemic on March 25, 2020.

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COURTESY OF COLIN LOVETT

Colin Murphy, right, with R. Kurt Ross, who died in March of 2020.

Related

Remembering Colin Murphy – Activist, LGBTQ Journalist and Friend: #Boom Magazine co-founder Colin Lovett sat down for a Q&A to pay tribute to his co-founder and friend