Published: March 26, 2008 11:04 am            

Lillie Mae Marsh Murray

Lillie Mae Marsh Murray, 98, went to be with her Lord and Savior Easter Sunday, March 23, 2008, from Grace Living Center where she had resided since September 2007. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday in the First Church of the Nazarene in Stillwater with former Pastor Mark Jones officiating and the Rev. Henry Siems assisting. Interment will be in Sunset Memorial Gardens. Strode Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. She had lived alone at Roxie Weber until two weeks before her 98th birthday.

Lillie was born Sept. 21, 1909, in Carney, to Elmer and Myrtle Marsh. She attended school at Wilson Springs and Pleasant Valley Country School. She then moved with her family to Tryon where she graduated from Tryon High School in 1929. She met the love of her life, Oral Murray, and they married Nov. 14, 1929, in Vinco. Lillie and Oral lived on a farm outside Tryon until they moved to the Ripley area in 1946.

She was a homemaker and helped Oral on the family farm until they sold it and moved into Stillwater in 1957, where they purchased their home at 1202 S. Husband. Lillie worked in Wardrobe Cleaners and did house work for families during Oral’s illness. After Oral died in 1965, leaving Lillie a widow at the age of 55, she went to Odessa, Texas, and worked for her brother for a year. She then moved back to Stillwater and went to work for Oklahoma State University as a dorm mother until her retirement.

Lillie was a member of the First Free Methodist Church in Stillwater for many years. She was very active in the church. She worked closely with the children and youth and was Vacation Bible School director for many years. She was elected Sunday School Teacher of the Year of the Oklahoma Conference. When the Free Methodist Church closed its Stillwater Church, Lillie started attending the First Church of the Nazarene and soon became a member.

In 1982, Lillie sold her home and was the first to live in Roxie Weber Plaza. During the time she lived there, she was elected to the Stillwater Housing Authority Commission. As a commissioner, she went on many trips to conferences including Las Vegas and Florida. She spent 15 years on the commission, retiring in 1999.

Lillie loved gardening. She couldn’t wait for spring each year so that she could get out in her garden and start working. She would work from her wheelchair planting and pulling weeds. She also loved making quilts and afghans for her children, grandchildren and friends. Lillie loved life, her family, her church and her friends at Roxie Weber.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, two sons, Orvel Murray and Earl Murray; three grandchildren, Larry Murray, Brenda Croy and John Caldwell III; son-in-law, Lavoy Croy; and all of her siblings.

She is survived by her two daughters, Lois Jean Croy of Stillwater and Barbara Caldwell and her husband, Johnny Jr., of Ponca City; one daughter-in-law, Helen Murray of Bethany; 14 grandchildren; 20 great grandchildren; and eight great great grandchildren. She is also survived by one brother-in-law, two sisters-in-law and many nieces, nephews and friends.

Pallbearers will be Wally Smith, R.J. Duckwall, Don Moore, Matt Mills, Jim Wilkerson and Walt Harmon.

Memorial contributions may be made in her name to the Nazarene Church Parking Lot Fund, 1023 E. Will Rogers Dr., Stillwater, OK 74074 or to Judith Karman Hospice, P.O. Box 818, Stillwater, OK 74076.

Condolences may be e-mailed to the family and an online obituary may be viewed by visiting www.strodefh.com.

        

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