J. Ernest Brophy
By Ron Hayes
BOCA RATON — J. Ernest Brophy, a winter resident of Boca Raton for 35 years, died March 19. He was 87 and had battled lung cancer and heart disease.
Mr. Brophy died peacefully at his Cocoanut Road home, surrounded by family and friends, including his wife of 60 years.
“And we were very happy all that time,” Betty Brophy recalled recently. “My only grandson used to say, ‘Don’t you guys ever fight?’ and we both said no. We always agreed. I know it sounds like we were making that up, but it’s true. We had the same values, but anything I felt really strongly about, he was willing to see I got.”
Mr. Brophy was born Aug. 24, 1924, in Shortsville, N.Y. After serving as a radio operator in the U.S. Army during World War II, for which he was decorated, he was graduated from Niagara University, summa cum laude, and earned a law degree from Fordham Law School. Mr. and Mrs. Brophy were married in 1952 and raised four children.
“When we were bringing up the children, he always deferred to me,” she said. “He respected my authority there.”
Mr. Brophy was also a certified public accountant who opened his own firm in Rochester, N.Y., specializing in estate and tax planning. He loved to tackle complex accounting dilemmas, and prided himself on finding solutions to almost any problem.
“He was absolutely brilliant,” his wife said. “People from all over called him for advice.”
After his retirement, the couple enjoyed playing contract bridge in both Boca Raton and Pompano Beach.
“I don’t think any husband could have been any better than he was,” Mrs. Brophy said. “It’s hard now, but the memories are wonderful
In addition to his widow, Mr. Brophy is survived by a daughter, Linda Sorg of Boca Raton; two sons, Joe, of Jupiter, and Brian of Canandaigua, N.Y.; and four grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a son, Dennis.
Donations in his memory may be made to the Ontario ARC Development Dept., 3071 County Complex Drive, Canandaigua, NY 14424, in honor of his son.
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