Ronald Murray

Ron Murray of Grant passed into Eternity with the Lord in the early hours of Tuesday, January 4, 2022, at Newaygo County Compassion Home in Fremont, MI.  Family members were present during his short stay there and his passing.  He remains in our hearts.

Ronald Henry Murray was born to Edith Edna (Moore) and George Blynn Murray of Bailey, MI, on July 1, 1925.  Ron was the 17th child of George’s 9 daughters and 9 sons.  Raised on a farm with plenty of hands-on experience and a need for ingenuity, Ron became a Jack-of-all-Trades and a creative problem-solver.  These characteristic were a large part of his life when he later became a lathe operator, carpenter, gas station proprietor, and an owner in Murray Brothers Lumber in Grant, MI.

After his elementary years at the Bailey School, Ron moved on to Grant Public Schools to complete his education.  There he met his beloved Doris Jean Throop, and the couple married soon after graduation from High School in 1947.  They raised four children in Kent City, Luanne, Dan, Steve, and Sara, until moving to Grant in 1966.

For the next 40 years, both Ron and Doris, worked as employers at the lumber yard and continued to raise their family.  During that time, they influenced the lives of the nieces and nephews who stayed with them as well as several young people who worked for them.  Ron’s work ethic, high expectations and strong Christian faith impacted each one.

Ron's foundation was his Lord.  His father, George, helped build the first Church of Christ in Bailey.  Later, Ron helped build another Church of Christ, the Northland Church, between Grant and Newaygo.  He was instrumental in providing the beautiful woodwork throughout the church.  Ron’s dedication to his Lord was evident during life in his support, shared skills, and teaching.

Ron is survived by three of his children, Luanne (Dennis) Nelson, Daniel (Nancy) Murray, and Sara (Dave) Martin; 12 grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren, his sister, Ellen Tibbe, and many nieces and nephews. Ron was preceded in death by his wife of 73 yrs., Doris Jean Murray on Dec 30, 2019, his youngest son Steve Murray, 8 sisters, Lola, Berth A. “Betty”, Grace, Mable, Sylvia, Regina, Pearl and Sarah; 8 brothers, Leo, George, Marion, Lawrence, Rufus, Maurice, Dalton and Theodore.

Because of Covid Concerns the family will hold a Private Celebration of Life Funeral Service for family only on Saturday, January 8, 2022 at Northland Church of Christ. Burial will take place next to his wife Doris in Parkview Cemetery in Grant.

Donations in his memory may be sent to the Newaygo County Compassion Home at 20 S Stewart Ave., Fremont, MI, 49412. Online condolences may be left on his tribute page at www.throopfh.com.

Throop Funeral Home, Coopersville, 616-837-8161, www.throopfh.com