Daniel "Yates" Murphrey

DANIEL YATES MURPHREY

June 5, 1945 – January 2, 2026

Daniel “Yates” Murphrey, age 80, passed away peacefully on Friday, January 2, 2026, at Duke University Hospital. He was born on June 5, 1945, in Archer Lodge, North Carolina, to the late Daniel Murphrey and Virgie Murphrey.

Yates graduated from Corinth-Holders High School in 1963. Following high school, he began his professional career in sales. He spent the majority of his working years with Storr Office Solutions, where he served as a trusted representative calling on the North Carolina State Government offices in Raleigh. He retired from Storr in 1995 after many years of dedicated service.

A devoted Christian, Yates faithfully served Pilot Baptist Church for many years as a deacon and in various committee roles. His faith guided his life and service to others.

In retirement, Yates became an avid golfer and greatly enjoyed playing the game with family and friends. He loved not only the sport, but also the fellowship and friendships it brought. He and his wife, Clara, shared a love of travel and especially cherished the time spent together at their beach home.

Yates is survived by his wife of 40 years, Clara; daughter Samantha Pruitt of Clayton; grandchild Jordan Pruitt of Clayton; and brother, Harvey Murphrey of Knightdale.

He was preceded in death by his parents; sisters Betty Freeman, Rochelle Kemp, Mary Lee Pittman, Barbara Rambeaut, Jean Mason, and Brenda Hutton; and brothers Joseph Murphrey and Jesse Murphrey.

The family will receive friends from 1:00 – 2:15 PM on Wednesday, January 7, 2026 at Pilot Baptist Church. A funeral service will follow in the church sanctuary at 2:30 PM. Burial will follow the service at Gethsemane Memorial Gardens in Zebulon, North Carolina.

The family would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to the many friends and family members who prayed for and supported them during Yates’s illness. Special thanks are extended to his healthcare teams at Duke University Hospital over the years, particularly Dr. John M. Reynolds, his transplant pulmonologist, for the past ten years.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Yates’s memory to Pilot Baptist Church, 8103 NC-39 Zebulon, NC 27597.

Arrangements are by Strickland Funeral Home & Crematory, Louisburg. www.stricklandfuneralhome.net

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Daniel "Yates" Murphrey, please visit our floral store.