Resident of San Jose

Daniel Francis Murtha, Lt. Col. U.S Army (retired), passed on April 13, 2025. Born in San Jose, he attended St. Mary’s Grammar School, Bellarmine College Prep and the University of Santa Clara, where he was a member of the ROTC and, upon graduation in 1959, joined the U.S.

Army as a First Lieutenant. During his military career, he was stationed in Ansbach and Frankfort, Germany, Fort Sill, Oklahoma, Fort Hood, Texas and Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He taught ROTC for 2 years at the University of Vermont at Burlington and spent along hot summer at Fort Benning, Georgia. In 1977, the family moved to Boone, North Carolina, where he received an MBA from Appalachian State University. He served 2 tours in Vietnam and worked at the Pentagon the last 5years of his career. Upon his retirement in 1981, he returned to San Jose and worked for FMC during the development of the Bradley Fighting Vehicle.

Dan was married to Sallee Murtha for over 57 years until her passing in 2018. He is survived by his three children Thomas (Lynn), Diane (Randy) and Kathleen. He is also survived by five grandchildren Christopher and Andrew Meyer and Gregory, Jeffrey and Casey Murtha, as well as his sisters Kathleen Purdy and Rosemary Caton (Bill) and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

Dan was an avid stamp collector, and, with Sallee, he loved to travel both by land and sea. They went on numerous cruises and were active members of the Roadrunners RV club.

All are invited to attend a Celebration of Life and Mass at Holy Spirit Church, 1200 Redmond Ave, San Jose on Wednesday, May 21st at 10:00 am with a reception to follow.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Disabled American Veterans at their website: dav.org/ways-to-give.