Doris I. Murray

February 27, 1922 - March 7, 2020

Doris Murray, 98 Axtell resident Doris Murray, 98 of Axtell passed away Saturday, March 7, 2020 at her home. A Funeral Mass will be held 10:30 a.m. Thursday at St. James Catholic Church in Kearney with Father Joseph Hannappel officiating. Burial will follow in Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Axtell. Doris Irene (Bleck) Murray was born February 27, 1922 in Omaha, Nebraska to August and Blanche (Felden) Bleck. Doris grew up on the farm that her grandparents homesteaded. She spent her entire life on the farm that received the Century Aksarben Pioneer Farm Family Award in 1988. Doris attended Catholic School through 8th grade and Kearney Longfellow High School graduating in 1939. She then received her BA in education and Master’s Degree from Kearney State College. October 11, 1945 Doris married Max (Jack) Murray Jr. at St. James in Kearney. To this union three children were born, Max, Sally, and Nancy. Doris and Jack enjoyed dancing at the 1733 Ranch and going for Sunday drives. Max (Jack) Murray passed away in 1987. Doris began her teaching career at “One Room Schools” in surrounding counties. She taught in one room schools for 17 years. She taught at Wilcox Public Schools from 1962 to 1987, teaching a total of 42 years. During her teaching years she was active in Fort Kearney Conference Teacher’s Association, NSEA, and Kappa Delta. Doris had a love of teaching and enjoyed seeing past students and hearing about their successes. Upon retirement Doris volunteered in Kearney 4th grade classrooms sharing Nebraska history of one room schools. Her hobbies included reading historical western novels, crossword puzzles and collecting giraffes. Doris, also referred to as Dodie, by her grandchildren, was often seen at their activities cheering for them. She enjoyed family celebrations, visiting with friends, neighborhood clubs, playing cards and spending time with her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren. Left to cherish her memory are her son, Max Murrary III and his wife, Teresa of Kearney; daughter, Nancy Murray of Axtell; son-in-law, Dudley Larson of Lawrence, KS; three grandchildren, Chadd Murray and his wife, Dawn of Kearney, Angela Philbrick and husband, Trent of Scottsbluff, NE, Brett Larson and his wife Danielle of Hebron, NE ; nine great grandchildren, Austin, Nathan, Colin, Justin, Joslyn Murray and Taylor and Lauren Philbrick, and Olivia and Lillian Larson; She is preceded in death by her parents; husband, Max Murray; daughter, Sally Larson; mother and father-in-law, Max and Myrtle Murray; brothers, Joe Lee and John Bleck; sister, Gladys Sicheneder; brother-in-law, August Sicheneder; and sister-in-law, Evelyn Lee. Memorials are suggested to the Axtell Volunteer Fire Department and KHAS Television Catholic Ministry. Condolences may be shared online at www.osrfh.com. Services are entrusted to O’Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral and Cremation Services.