Murray Sr., Henry R. 'Hank'

Henry R. “Hank” Murray Sr., 79, passed away peacefully at his home Tuesday, July 23, 2013, following a lengthy illness. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10 a.m. Monday, July 29, at St. Mary's Catholic Church, Iowa City, with the Rev. Steven Witt officiating. Burial will be at St. Joseph Cemetery, Iowa City. Visitation will be Sunday from 3 to 6 p.m. at Lensing Funeral and Cremation Service, Iowa City, where a vigil service will be held at 3:30 p.m. A Time of Sharing will follow the visitation.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks memorials be directed in Hank's name to the Mayo Clinic for cancer research in honor of Drs. Kenneth Wang and Sanjay Kalra, www.mayoclinic.org/development or Mayo Clinic, 200 First St. SW, Rochester, MN 55905.

Hank was born Oct. 2, 1933, in Cresco, Iowa, the seventh of eight children of Raymond and Margaret Coughlin Murray. He was a graduate of Cresco High School and attended the University of Iowa, where he received a scholarship to play baseball. Hank was a member of Delta Upsilon fraternity, where he met his wife, Connie McNamara, at a fraternity-sorority exchange dance. On July 16, 1955, they married at St. Mary's Church and continued to dance together for the next six decades. They could often be seen laughing and enjoying themselves on their standing Saturday date night.

Hank was employed, and later managed, the McNamara Furniture Store on the corner of Linn and Washington streets in Iowa City, a business which was established in 1928 by his father-in-law. He was later associated with Robison Furniture and People's Furniture.

In their later years, after raising eight kids, Hank and Connie enjoyed traveling. Some of their favorite destinations were New York, Ireland and Chicago - “his kind of town.”

Hank was a proud Irish Catholic Democrat whose life exemplified the values of faith, loyalty, commitment and social justice - always advocating for the underdog. He was an avid Hawkeye and White Sox fan with a passion for telling entertaining stories and making others laugh!

Hank was a cherished husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, who will be sadly missed by the love of his life, Connie, and their children, Henry “Hank” Jr. (DeaDea) Murray of Muscatine, Tim Murray of Chicago, Terry Murray of Iowa City, Maureen Green of Brookfield, Mass., Elizabeth (David) Tallman of Davenport, Julie Goodlaxson and Edward Murray, both of Iowa City, and Jeani Murray of Washington, D.C.; his grandchildren, Kyle (Natalie) Murray, Shauna and Kenzie Murray, Sara and Rachel Murray, Ryan Cooper, Andrew and Michael Green, Riley and Tommy Tallman and Sarah (Kurt) Goltz, Kalvin and Dillon Goodlaxson and two great grandsons Kyle Goltz and Angelo Waters; his siblings, Elizabeth Nixa of Mason City, Margaret (Ron) Law of Ankeny and Raymond (Mary Lou) Murray of Cresco; and sisters-in-law, Joan, Marilee and Elaine Murray and Jean Sorensen.

Hank was preceded in death by his parents; four brothers, Tom, Bob, John and Ed; his in-laws, Jay J. and Edna Dempsey McNamara; and brothers-in-law, Jay F., R. Drew and Robert McNamara and Kurt Sorensen.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.lensingfuneral.com.

Published July 26, 2013 in The Gazette