Wendell Holmes Murphy was born September 23, 1938, to Holmes & Lois King Murphy of Rose Hill, North Carolina, and is the brother of Harry Daniel (Pete) Murphy and the late Joyce Murphy Minchew. Wendell was raised in Duplin County on a farm in the Registers Crossroads area. He graduated from Rose Hill High School in 1957, received his Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural education from North Carolina State University in 1960 and taught vocational agriculture for five years in Green and Duplin counties. Wendell is married to Linda Godwin Murphy from Spivey’s Corner in Sampson County. They have four children; Wendell Holmes (Dell) Murphy, Jr, Wendy Murphy Crumpler, Cindy Hairr Bass, and Wesley Hairr. They have seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild.