Dan E. Murray

Dan E. Murray, age 86, beloved husband, father and grandfather, passed away at the Bryan Care and Rehabilitation Center on Tuesday, April 19, 2011, after an extended illness. Mr. Murray was born on November 18, 1924, in Cleveland, Ohio, the son of Edwin Y. and Flora Olive (Nofsinger) Murray. In his youth, he was a Boy Scout and began building and flying model airplanes, which he enjoyed throughout his life. A 1943 graduate of Bryan High School, he served in the Army from 1943-46 as a Military Policeman. He landed on Normandy Beach shortly after D-Day, then took part in the Battle of the Bulge in Northern France, and served in Central Europe. He learned to fly full-sized airplanes on his army bill. Returning home, Dan found the love of his life, Norma DeGroff. They married on June 27, 1948, in Bryan, Ohio, and she survives. During their 62 years together, Dan and Norma built three houses and two lake cottages, raised two children, and watched two grandchildren grow. After marrying, Mr. Murray worked at the Municipal Light & Water Utilities of Bryan, then of Grand Haven, Michigan. Returning to Bryan in the early 1960s, he bought Pulaski Repair, which he ran for several years. Next he worked at Chase Brass, then Strydel. He retired from Anderson-Vreeland in 1987, where he was an electrician for seven years. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Bryan, the Bryan VFW #2489, the Experimental Aircraft of America and formerly of the Bryan Lions Club. After retirement, Dan returned to the sky in his self-built Himax Ultralight Airplane. He always met challenges of doing things a bit differently and for using his many hands-on talents to help family and friends. He had a dry wit that could elicit peals of laughter from a single comment. He worked hard, cared deeply and quietly for his family, and taught them that hard work and persistence pay off. Besides his wife, Mr. Murray’s survivors include his daughter, Karen (Neal Bever) Murray-Bever, of Bryan, his son, Scott (Lori) Murray, of Montpelier, Ohio, two grandchildren, Robert (Lily) Bever, of Atlanta, Georgia, and Drew Murray, of Montpelier, one sister-in-law, Ruth Murray, of Bryan, and several nieces and nephews. Besides his parents, one brother, John Murray, and two sisters, Martha Cooper and Winifred Hiatt, preceded him in death. Visitation will be held on Friday, April 22, 2011, from 4:00-7:00 P.M. in the Krill Funeral Home, 860 West Mulberry Street, Bryan. Services will be held on Saturday, April 23, 2011, at 11:00 A.M. in the Krill Funeral Home, with Pastor Barry Sweet officiating. Interment will follow in Fountain Grove Cemetery, Bryan, with grave side military rights conducted by VFW #2489. Memorials are requested to the First Presbyterian Church of Bryan, the Williams County Veterans Building, or the Bryan Care and Rehabilitation Center.