McMurray, Edna V.

Edna V. McMurray, 93, passed away Saturday, April 28, 2012, at Villa Healthcare Center East in Sherman, Ill.

She was born Edna Viola Knock. She grew up in Grundy County, Iowa, and was a resident of Cedar Rapids for more than 62 years. Edna, who was born on July 13, 1918, and her twin sister, Leona M. Knock, who preceded her in death in March 2001, were the only children of the late Ontje and Dena Knock. The sisters grew up on a farm adjacent to the historic Colfax Center Presbyterian Church just outside Grundy Center and primarily spoke the German dialect prevalent in the community until attending school.

Edna graduated from Grundy Center High School in 1936, and with her sister went on to Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls (now University of Northern Iowa). She became a teacher and taught middle grades in schools in Andrew, Fayette and Independence. While in Andrew, she met LaVerne “Mac” McMurray. They corresponded while Mac was serving in combat in the U.S. Army in North Africa and Italy during World War II and after the war ended, they were married in November 1945 at Colfax Church. After briefly living in Chicago, Edna and Mac settled in Cedar Rapids in 1946, where they raised their family and lived until October 2008, when they moved to the Springfield, Ill., area. Mac passed away in Springfield in September 2009 at the age of 96.

Starting in 1970, until her retirement in 1986, Edna was director of the Meals on Wheels program of Family Service Agency in Cedar Rapids. She became a trusted and empathetic friend to hundreds of elderly or disabled clients and her staff while serving in that role and testified at a U.S. Senate Hearing in Washington, D.C. on the importance of mobile meals programs to communities. It was a family tradition for several years to deliver meals on holidays to those clients who had no other family or friends to visit them.

Edna was also very active in the Cedar Rapids Woman's Club for several years where she served as president.

Edna had a strong faith and was an active member of Calvin-Sinclair United Presbyterian Church in Cedar Rapids for more than 45 years, serving several years as an elder and Sunday school teacher. She was also very involved in state and national Presbyterian women's organizations and attended several of their national conferences. She enjoyed Bible study, playing bridge, walking and bus outings and travel. Many of those activities were with her sister, Leona (“Lee”), a teacher for many years in the Cedar Rapids public schools and the twins remained close throughout Leona's life. The sisters took a trip together to Europe after they were both retired and visited East Friesland in Germany from where their ancestors had emigrated. Edna also took great joy in being with her grandchildren.

Edna will be greatly missed by her family and friends for her warmth and kindness to others and her quick sense of humor and intelligence.

She is survived by her three children, Dennis McMurray of Springfield, Ill. (companion Nancy), Douglas McMurray of Webster City (wife Amani), and Lynn Fitzgibbons (husband Michael) of Tulsa, Okla.; and five grandchildren, Adam, David and Zachary McMurray of Webster City, Megan Fitzgibbons of Houston, Texas, and Kaitlyn Fitzgibbons of College Station, Texas.

The family is very grateful for the kind and attentive care that was given to Edna by the staff of Villa Healthcare East during the two and one-half years she lived there, particularly during her various health challenges.

A funeral service will be held at 1:30 p.m. Friday, May 4, at Cedar Memorial Chapel of Memories with Pastor Will Jackson officiating. Visitation will begin at 12:30 p.m. Friday at the chapel. Burial will be in Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery. Light refreshments will be served to family and friends following the graveside rites.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given in her name to Calvin Sinclair Presbyterian Church or the donor's charity of choice.

Online condolences may be left at under “obituaries.”

Published in The Gazette May 2, 2012.