Obituary of Stanley Edward Murray

Stanley Edward Murray 09/13/1946 - 8/31/2024. The information to follow are his own words in recounting his life. I have had a wonderful life. Born the second son and fifth of six children to Stanley G. Murray and Margaret (Toombs) Murray in one of God's most wonderful places. I grew up loved, protected, nurtured, and bossed around. Living with a strong headed older sister and smart brother left me with a very free childhood. Nothing much to excel at and no requirements to achieve, I was an enthusiastic "C" student, average sportsman, and persistent trouble maker. Music appreciation involved not paying respect at a novice junior band performance and subsequent request by Mrs. White that I do a "solo acapella vocal" performance for Mrs. Rollins (Music teacher and Band Leader) and our class. Being the great Singer that I was, I skipped school that day and would have skated if my older sisters hadn't ratted me out. Monday meant I gave a powerful rendition of Happy Birthday. Learning that misbehavior has consequences, was insured by Mrs. White and her four- foot paddle. She kept count by placing your name on the back. My name appeared in the low teens. After school hours were the best part of each day. High School Sports consisted of Soccer in the fall, basketball in the winter, track and field, and baseball in the spring. Basketball wasn’t my favorite, and I didn’t have the coordination or skills to excel but it was a team sport. I made the JV squad because I was breathing and about 5 foot 9 inches tall. I usually road the bench. Baseball was my best and favorite sport. I played left field and was one of the better hitters. Our freshman year, we won our league but lost in the Section D playoffs. As you can read from my rambling, sports were my focus in school. Graduation was just a milestone that I had to achieve. Early in ninth grade I realized that there were no signs of prosperity or career in my small town. Garbage man, paperboy, or farmhand just weren’t going to work for me. I knew I wasn’t going to get a college scholarship, so I researched my possibilities and decided the US Air Force might be my best path to a future. After my physical in Syracuse, NY, they flew us to San Antonio Texas in the middle of the night and we arrived at four in the morning of August 21 and it was 104 degrees. Hello Texas and the US Air Force. I found Basic Training and Tech School to be much like Boy Scout Camp, follow the rules, play the game and graduate. I completed my training and received “Orders” posting me to a small Radar Station in Kirksville Missouri. One night while at a party I saw this beautiful lady across the room. I had to find a way to meet her that she would always remember. I found an Easter basket and decided to wear it as a hat to introduce myself. Mission accomplished she did remember me. However, I did not correctly remember Ometta (Esther “Ometta” Summers Murray). Once she forgave me, we began dating. One night I gathered all the courage I could muster, and pathetically asked her to marry me via a feeble “How would you like to live in Italy?” She responded “Are you asking me to marry you?” I nervously replied “I think so.” She never actually said yes, but we did get married on February 11th. And, that is how we started our family adventures with my precious daughters Raven (Murray) Arceneaux and Esta Murray. Our adventures took us to El Cajon, CA, Brindisi, Italy, Bangor, ME, Beale AFB, CA, Woomera, South Australia, Aurora, CO, Anaheim, CA, Randolph, NJ, Sachse, TX where Ometta was called on March 6, 2021 to prepare a heavenly place for us. My Tom Sawyer life could not have been more perfect. Know as you read this, that I have had a wonderful life. And am now reunited with those that I have lost. In addition to my daughters Esta Murray of Harrisburg, NC and Raven (Randal) Arceneaux, of Houston, TX, I am survived by four grandchildren: Michael Polk, Derek (Crystal) Arceneaux, Danielle (Brandon) Ponder and Austin Polk and three great grandchildren, Brooke and Dominic Turner and Trey Arceneaux. I’m also survived by my beloved Linda Hudson of Summerville, SC, siblings: John (Colleen) Murray of Fort Wayne, IN, Sally Coates of Greenwood and Anna Marie Schwartz of Elmira, along with an abundance of nieces and nephews. In addition to my wife Ometta, I was predeceased by two sisters: Ellen Kilborn and Catherine Hawkins. The family will receive friends from 5-7 pm Friday, September 6th at the H.P. Smith & Son, Inc. Funeral Home in Canisteo. A Mass of Christian burial will take place Saturday, September 7th at 9:30 am at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Rexville. Burial will be in Greenwood Cemetery, Greenwood, NY with military honors. Memorial contributions in Stanley’s name may be made to any local VA or to the American Cancer Society. Arrangements are in care of the H.P. Smith & Son, Inc. Funeral Home in Canisteo.