Thomas Murray Jr.

Thomas Holt Murray, Jr., 87, of Kerrville, Texas graduated to eternal life peacefully Sunday Morning July 4, 2021, just 2 months to the day after his beloved wife Cathy's passing. They had been married nearly 64 years. Tom was born September 5, 1933, in New York City to Thomas H. Murray Sr. and Florence Vineyard Murray. Tom Sr. was working for the J. C. Penney Co. while Tom grew up in New Rochelle, New York, a suburb of NYC. Tom then attended Culver Military Academy, in Culver, Indiana. It was there that he began his love for the military. He graduated Culver in 1951, receiving a NROTC scholarship to Stanford University. He graduated from Stanford in 1955 receiving a degree in General Science with an emphasis in Geology. After college he went straight into the Navy serving on the destroyer, The USS Hale, anchored out of Newport, Rhode Island. It was there in Newport where he met his incredible wife, Cathy, who was his local bank manager and they married in 1957 in Golden, Colorado. After leaving active-duty status and going to active reserve status, he received a master's degree in Geological Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines. He eventually went to work for Standard Oil of Texas, a subsidiary of the Chevron Corporation as an Exploration Geologist. His time with Chevron took him to Oklahoma City, Houston, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; Calgary, Alberta, Canada; San Francisco and Concord, California. He retired from Chevron in 1991 as Principal Technological Advisor for Upstream Information for the Chevron Corporation. While working with Chevron, he continued to serve in the US Naval Reserves and in Canada he served as the American Liaison on Special Assignment in the Canadian Navy. He eventually retired as a Captain of the United States Navy. His love for the water which he developed in the Navy manifested itself in his buying a 36 ft. trawler and traveling the waters of the San Francisco Bay and northern California area with Cathy. They were later able to buy a summer home in Deer Isle, Maine. At one point they were blessed with the opportunity to take the trawler on a 3-month trip from Corpus Christi, Texas all the way up the east coast to Deer Isle. They retired to Kerrville in 1991 and quickly became actively involved in the community. Following in his father's footsteps yet creating his own stamp for his love of the Hill Country, Tom Jr. was a member of Rotary, Sons of the American Revolution and Scotts of the Hill Country in which he served in many leadership roles. Also, he served on many boards such as the Admiral Nimitz Foundation and Museum - Board Member Emeritus, the Friends of the Library, KPAS, St. Peter's Episcopal School, and eventually, the Peterson Hospital Board. Tom served as the President of the hospital board during the time of the building of the new hospital, Peterson Regional Medical Center. He was one of the original groundbreakers and one of the ribbon cutters of the new hospital. Tom and Cathy had a strong faith exhibited by involvement and leadership in their local episcopal church community wherever they lived. They were active members of St. Peter's Episcopal Church of Kerrville. Tom served on the Vestry multiple times while being involved with Sunday worship as a Lay Reader and Eucharistic Minister. He served as head of the committee that built Tucker Hall which is the current parish hall of St. Peter's. Tom was preceded in death by his parents Mr. and Mrs. Thomas H. Murray, Sr., his wife Catherine Tonet Murray, and his baby daughter Catherine. Tom is survived by his children, Deidra Murray Harmer (Bob), Tom Murray, III (Julie), and his grandchildren, Robert (Tres) Harmer, III; Dylan Harmer; and Katie Murray. The family would like to say a heartfelt thank you to Peterson Hospice for helping Dad to graduate to the saints with dignity and peace, for Dr. Jim Young for 26 years of being his physician and trusted friend, Dr. Barrington, Dr. Alvarez, Dr. Fritsch, and the late Dr. Mehendale. And another sincere, heartfelt thank you for his amazing loving caregivers- Rachel, Cynthia, and Jennifer. The funeral services will be at 10:00am on Thursday, July 15, 2021, at St. Peter's Episcopal Church with Father Bert Baetz officiating. The diocese requests that you RSVP by e-mailing to this e-mail address: rsvp@stpeterskerrville.com A reception will follow at Tucker Hall. Burial will follow at Garden of Memories. If you are unable to attend and would like to take part, you may watch virtually on https://youtu.be/X0lMWnl4_ec or go to www.stpeterskerrville.com and click on YouTube for our church's channel. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Peterson Hospice, Peterson Regional Medical Center, Admiral Nimitz Foundation - In Memo - In Memory of CAPT Thomas H. Murray Jr. USNR (Ret): St. Peter's Episcopal School, St. Peter's Episcopal Church or any medical charity you desire.