James William Murray

MURRAY - James William, 89, died on Oct. 25, 2019 at home surrounded by his loving family. James was born June 2, 1930, in Johnstown, the only child of James and Pauline Leber Murray. He was a 1948 graduate of Johnstown High School. After graduation, he served in the U.S. Navy and the Navy Reserves. He was later employed for more than 30 years in the payroll department of BethEnergy, retiring in 1982. He subsequently held jobs with the Cambria County War Memorial, Brown and Williamson Tobacco, Cambell’s Soups, and McAneny Brothers. On Feb. 18, 1950, in St. Mary’s Byzantine Catholic Church, he married Margaret L. Duray, his beloved wife of 69 years, who survives him. He loved to tell the story of how he met her in a JHS typing class, where he was the only boy. James was a longtime parishioner at St. Theresa Church, where his lovely tenor voice graced the choir for many years. He also sang with barbershop quartets and participated in quartet competitions, where he sang the lead. He was later a member of St. Rochus and Resurrection Churches. James had a keen interest in sports of all kinds, especially local high school competitions. He avidly followed his children and grandchildren in their endeavors and attended many local and away high school and college football and basketball games. He was an avid fan of the Pirates, Penguins, Steelers and the Penn State Nittany Lions. James spoke often of a happy childhood and teen years in Kernville, filled with what would become lifelong friends. He had an inquisitive mind and was a keen observer of life, never having any problem making his opinions immediately known. He was deeply interested in politics and world affairs, and being a history teacher would have been his dream job. Despite his broad interests, James never ventured far from home, on occasion visiting his out-of-town children and once making a cross country train trip with his wife to California. He never wanted to step on an airplane. James and his wife loved attending shows and musicals, and he was a huge fan of The Lettermen. He enjoyed his wife’s delicious meals and family gatherings, but also in his later years indulged a taste for fast food. James enjoyed a lifelong love of ice cream, and a lifetime dislike of ringing telephones stemming from his payroll days when the phone rang without stop to make sure those miners were paid exactly what they were owed and on time. He had a long and remarkably healthy life. He was generously giving to family and friends, and will be deeply missed. James was predeceased by his parents. In addition to his wife, he is survived by his children, Daniel, of Johnstown, Diane (Timothy) Gorka, Johnstown, Kimberly  (Gary) Weakland, Johnstown; Kevin (Melinda) Murray, of Dayton, Pa., Kathleen (Richard) Price, Johnstown, James (Kimberly) Murray, Johnstown; Margaret Murray, Cocoa, Fl., and David (Kristie) Murray, Johnstown; his grandchildren, Adam, Aaron and Maria Gorka, Michael (Colleen) Weakland, Kari Weakland and fiancé Terrill Simms,  Makayla and Melina Murray, Rachael Price and fiancé Iain Wright, Tyler, Ryan and Tavis Price, and Alexandra Murray; step-grandchildren William and Rebecca Carnell, and Katelyn (Ty Hammack) Carnell; great-grandchildren, Sydney Weakland, and Ella and Jaxon Simms; his sisters-in-law, Joan (Patrick) Ditko, Elizabeth Helen (the late Emery) Balog, and brother-in-law Nicholas (Mary) Duray. Calling hours are on Monday from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. at The Francis G. Ozog Funeral Home. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday at 10 a.m. at Resurrection Church in Johnstown. Burial will be in Grandview Cemetery. The family would like to thank Conemaugh Hospice for their excellent care and guidance.

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