Arthur R. “Doc” Muroff was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1922 and passed away on July 28, 2018.
He began taking piano lessons at the age of four and admits that he learned to read music before he learned to read. Doc started playing in orchestras at age 13 and was accepted into Juilliard but decided to assume his father’s dental practice instead. He attended Long Island University where he earned his dentistry degree and paid his way by playing in Big Bands. There he met his first and only love, his wife Vlasta (Val) Filipi, when he interviewed her for the Biology Honor Society. Upon graduation in 1945, he married Val and entered the Navy, serving as a dentist until the end of World War II and again during the Korean War, stationed at Fort Eustis where he played with local musicians on the weekend. He resumed his practice in Long Island until his retirement in 1979 when he moved to Port Haywood.
During their years in New York, Doc and Val took up sailing and once sailed from Maine to the Bahamas. Later, they transitioned to flying and flew from Alaska to Venezuela. After retiring to Virginia, Doc served as President of the Flying Dentists Association. He later joined the Flying Octogenarians, flying until age 88.
Often seen around Mathews County, Gloucester, and Williamsburg, Doc’s license plate, DOC88K identified him to those who knew him from the Williamsburg airport and the many places in the Tidewater area where he played jazz piano—the Tides Inn, Warner Hall, and the Williamsburg Inn. He loved to perform and had a great sense of humor.
Visitors to their home were amazed at Doc’s 35-year labor of love, his model trains. Often featured in the Walthers Catalog, Doc’s unique photos of his most recent addition to his train layout received numerous awards and accolades. He corresponded frequently via email with model train aficionados all over the world.
An avid reader, Doc had an eclectic library of his own and loved the British mysteries of P.D. James. He could be found each day with his beloved Richmond Times-Dispatch and regularly contributed letters to the editorial page. He also read the Wall Street Journal and loved completing the crossword puzzle each day.
Doc is survived by his beloved Czech mate, Vlasta (Val) Filipi Muroff; his nephew, Mark Filipi of Eagan, Minnesota (Karen), and their children, Jenny Filipi Poole (Nathan), and Nick Filipi (Megan); and his godson, Cris Simmons of Williamsburg (Landa), and their children, Harrison Simmons (Katherine), and Laura Simmons Flora (Matt).
A memorial service and visitation will be held on Thursday, Aug. 2, at Faulkner Funeral Homes, Foster-Faulkner Chapel, Mathews. The visitation is 10-11 a.m., with the service at 11.
In lieu of flowers, the family invites contributions to the Friends of the Mathews Library.