Martin E. McMurray

Martin E. McMurray died of natural causes on July 13, 2023 in Bucyrus, Ohio at age 94.

Survivors include three sons, Brian R. McMurray, M. D. and wife Catherine, of Brentwood, Tennessee, Glen A. McMurray, D. D. S. and wife Nancy, of Bucyrus, Ohio, and Bruce H. McMurray and wife Julie, of Burton, Ohio; eight grandchildren Heather Hart (Emerson), Mary Ellen McMillin (Drew), Carolyn McMurray, Kelly Andress (George), Erin Ross (Jason), Corey McMurray (Jennifer), Zachary McMurray (Rannie), and Garrett McMurray (Brianna); and seventeen great grandchildren Lucie, Liam and Benjamin Hart, Noah, Addison and Daniel McMillin, Evelyn and Isla King, Olivia and Madelyn Andress, Norah and Charlotte Ross, Bailey and Dean McMurray, Luna McMurray, and Cameron and Aubrey McMurray.

He is predeceased by wife of 67 years, Carolyn and son Kelton S. McMurray, D. V. M. of Elkhorn, Wisconsin.

Martin was born in Washington, D. C., the son of the late Lucile and J. Arthur McMurray. He graduated from West Texas A&M University after completing studies at Woodrow Wilson and Sidwell Friends Schools in Washington, D. C. He was a leading baseball pitcher in college and played minor league ball before pursuing graduate studies at Clark University and Worcester State College. He met his wife, Carolyn, when they were in high school. Martin was the captain of the football team and Carolyn was the captain of the cheerleaders.

He retired from General Motors in 1983 in divisional sales management. Prior to joining GMC, he was with the McCulloch Corporation of Los Angeles, Scott-Atwater of Minneapolis and Bay State Abrasives of Massachusetts where he also directed a resident YMCA camp. He was active in many community activities including school board president, township supervisor, township tax assessor and served for fifteen years as chairman of two condominium associations. One of his favorite activities was college and career counseling for his family and others.

He was an avid tennis player who played six days a week for twenty-seven years. He and his wife, Carolyn, enjoyed cruising and world travel and Martin had visited all continental forty-eight states by the age of 19. He resided in Washington, D. C., California, Texas, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, Minnesota, New York, Michigan and Ohio. After seasonally residing in Vermont and Maui for many years, he and Carolyn decided to split their years between the North Carolina mountains and Sarasota, Florida, before returning to Ohio.

He asked that his obituary say, “I have been blessed by having the ideal wife and loving, achieving sons. Their marriages have been equally strong, and our eight grandchildren are achievers and solid citizens too. There are few things I would change in this wonderful life. I would wish for everyone to be as fortunate.”

The McMurray family will gather privately at Wise Funeral Home before laying Martin to rest in Oakwood Cemetery.

Memorial expressions may be made payable to Lowe-Volk Park Nature Center or the Kelton Scott McMurray Memorial Scholarship and given through Wise Funeral Service, 129 W Warren St., Bucyrus, Ohio 44820. Memories and photos are encouraged to be shared on his Guestbook.