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Robert B. Murray, well-known Wirt County educator, has died at the age of 85.
Mr. Murray graduated in 1935 from Newell High School and then entered the WVU
Forestry School in 1938. Having volunteered for the Army in the fall of 1941, he
was serving in Alaska when war was declared Dec. 7, 1941. While there from
1941-1944, he was stationed at Kodiak and Adak.
He came home to Parkersburg in May of 1944, and he and Winifred Murray
became officially engaged. On July 29, 1944, his Army chaplain from the
Aleutians married the couple in his home. Mr. Murray was also a Korean
veteran.
After his release from the Army, Mr. Murray pursued a life-long vocation in
education. During his career, he served as a teacher and principal in a one-room
school, as a principal of 600 students in a bilingual elementary school in Arizona,
directed a model school at Palestine, W.Va., and was founder and teacher for the
"gifted program" in the Elizabeth School System of Wirt County.
Mr. Murray attended the Elizabeth Nazarene Church, was a member of the United
Methodist Church of Llano, Texas, and a founding member of the St. Marks UMC
in Tucson, Ariz.
Mr. Murray is a past president of the Resource Conservation Development Project
and a member for 17 years. He also served as the vice president of the Mid
Atlantic Association of the RCD.
Bob is survived by his wife, Winifred Hoyt Murray; four daughters, Sandra Mace of
Elizabeth, the Rev. Dr. Heather Elkins of Madison, N.J., Brucilla Campbell of
Rowland, Pa., and Tamara Murray of Honesdale, Pa.; a brother, William Benton
Murray of New Cumberland, W.Va.; grandchildren, Murray Mace of Parkersburg,
Krista Sims of Palestine, Rob Roy Mace of Huntington, Daniel Elkins of
Bordentown, N.J., Ian Laurelin of Los Angeles, Calif., and Laurel Murray of
Honesdale, Pa.; and three great-grandchildren, Camuran Mace, Madison Mace
and Adeline Sims.
Memorial funeral services will be 11 a.m. Friday at the Elizabeth Nazarene
Church, with the Rev. Ray Whiteman officiating. There will be no visitation.
The family has requested that donations be made to the Robert B. Murray
Memorial Fund at Wesbanco of Elizabeth. The fund will be used to carry on Mr.
Murray's love for educational and missionary endeavors.
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