Lynn Murphy

Robert “Lynn” Murphy, who served in numerous emergency services roles for the city of Clinton, died Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, of congestive heart failure. A Clinton native, Murphy began his public service career as a 911 dispatcher for hte Anderson County Sheriff’s Department. He then served as a patrol officer, supervisor, training officer, and detective. He also served as a volunteer firefighter for the city of Clinton, changing his career to firefighting full-time in 1988. He became a firefighter and emergency medical technician for the Clinton Fire Department, eventually reaching the role of assistant chief. He also served as an instructor for the Tennessee Fire and Codes Academy. He was eventually appointed director of Clinton’s emergency services department and then spent 19 years as the city’s public works director. He retired in 2018 after more than 40 years of government experience, but remained as a consultant for the city up until his death. Murphy held an associate’s degree in criminal justice from Walters State Community College and a bachelor’s in political science from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.