Margaret L. Murray

MURRAY - Margaret L., 94; passed away on January 7, 2025, at Heritage Ridge Senior Living in Johnstown, peacefully and with her Family, after a long illness. Margaret was born April 23, 1930, in Johnstown, daughter of Paul and Helen Ambrose Duray, both of whom immigrated to the USA from Czechoslovakia. She was a 1948 graduate of Johnstown High School. On February 18, 1950, in St. Mary's Byzantine Catholic Church, she married James W. Murray, her beloved husband of 69 years. James died in October 2019. Her husband loved to tell the story of how he met her in a JHS typing class, where he was the only boy. Marge was a longtime parishioner at St. Therese, and later at St. Rochus and Resurrection Churches.  Marge was a spiritually advanced woman who lived a rich, vibrant and full life focused on faith, family and friends. She was the supreme definition of a Giver, always putting others first, sometimes to a fault. She had a discerning eye for beauty and was always giving delightful gifts. A fashion plate whose only fault was a dose of vanity, she retained a full head of hearty dark hair her entire 94 years, and she made sure Steve Frank took good care of it. She made lifelong friends wherever she went. After raising 8 children and keeping them as blessed and comforted and deliciously fed as possible, she joined the Johnstown School District as a pre-school aide, riding along with the children on the bus and mentoring them during the school day. For almost three decades, she treated those little children like her own, showering them with attention and love. As they grew up, they remembered her and when they saw her, would give her a warm greeting. After retirement, her husband would take her down to the YMCA well into her late 80’s for exercise. She loved her Roman Catholic faith, EWTN, Blue Bloods, Heath bars, pork and sauerkraut, and much more. She was an amazing cook and was always trying to feed her children anytime they visited her and anyone else who happened to be in the vicinity, going so far as to always offer a portion of her own food to them. With joy, she passed those cooking and “giving” skills on to her children. She was a blessing to us all.  Marge was predeceased by her parents, her 6 siblings, and a daughter, Margaret Ann.  She is survived by her 7 other 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; and David (Kristie) Murray, Johnstown; her grandchildren, Adam (Emily), Aaron and Maria Gorka; Michael (Colleen) Weakland, Kari (Terrill) Simms; Makayla and Melina Murray; Rachael (Iain) Wright; Tyler, Ryan and Tavis Price, and Alexandra Murray; step-grandchildren William Carnell, Katelyn (Ty Hammack) Carnell, and Rebecca (Alex) Chiappini; great-grandchildren, Sydney Weakland, Ella and Jaxon Simms; Mackenna and Amelia Wright, Logan Gorka, and Abigail and Piper Hammack.  Calling hours on Friday the 10th from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at The Francis G. Ozog Funeral Home. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Saturday the 11th at 10 a.m. at Resurrection Church in Johnstown, the Rev. George M. Gulash. The burial will be in Grandview Cemetery. The family would like to thank 1 Laurel Highlands Hospice and Heritage Ridge Senior Living staff for their excellent care and guidance.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the charity of your choice in memory of Margaret L. Murray.  Online condolences may be offered to the family at www.fgozogfuneralhome.com

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Margaret L. Murray, please visit our floral store.