William Murray

N. William Murray, a survivor of Iwo Jima, a nurturing, loving father, and a good friend to many, died July 5, 2006.

Bill was born Aug. 28, 1923, to Thomas and Esther Murray in Warrick. Bill voluntarily enlisted in the Navy in 1942, spending most of his active duty as a signalman on the destroyer U.S.S. Weber. He completed his service in 1946 and returned to Montana, where he met his future wife and lifelong friend Dorthea Murray.

They married in 1949 and raised three children — Cheri Watson, and husband Kelly, of Bigfork, Scott Murray, and wife Tina, of Whitefish, and Carol Murray, and husband Robin Duberow, of Seattle.

In 1987, after more than 40 years with the railroad, Bill retired, spending those many years doing the things he loved — hunting, fishing, golfing and spending time with family, close friends and neighbors.

Bill died suddenly but peacefully. He was a kind, compassionate and humorous father and friend, and he will be sorely missed by all who knew him.

Bill is survived by his three children; his grandchildren Trina Elder, of Lacey, Wash., whose husband Dan was deployed to Iraq on the date of Bill's death, Brad Murray, who is teaching English in South Korea, Brett Murray, of Whitefish, and five-year-old Jane Li Duberow, of Seattle; his great grandson Kyler Elder; and two of his six siblings, Ruth Hamilton and Tom Murray, of Texas.

A Mass of the Christian Burial was held July 10, 2006, at the Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church in Eureka. Burial followed at the Tobacco Valley Cemetery, near Eureka.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to either VFW, P.O. Box 1008, Eureka MT 59917 or Our Lady of Mercy, 500 Dewey Avenue, Eureka MT 59917.