James Jeffrey "Jeff" Murray

 James Jeffrey Murray

November 18, 1949 to September 12, 2024

Jeff lived in Cuyahoga Falls for most of his life. He went to Falls schools, participated in kids sports of baseball, and flag football, was a Cub Scout, in Indian Guides, and DeMolay. He attended the United Presbyterian Church on Hudson Drive, and will be remembered by friends for, in some cases, a lifetime. In Falls High School he studied mechanical drawing that led him to a career in mechanical engineering. During his senior year, he worked for Leroy and Rolands, and later for Goodyear and Packard Electronic until that plant closed. He attended Ohio University in Athens, Ohio and graduated with a degree in Psychology. He was an activist during those years and developed a strong sense of political justice that he retained to present times.

He loved history and was an avid reader about everything from the Civil War to archeological discoveries. In September 1998, he traveled to Italy where he saw the ruins and work going on in Pompei near Naples and the ruins of the ancient cities of Rome, and Florence. He once said that Lisa, sister and former Archeologist, had one of the best jobs he could imagine. He was interested in all kinds of things that held his attention and then read about them until he understood them. And one of those things that grabbed his attention was cooking. He was a vegetarian because of his heart, and so he cooked Asian food, (had a well-used wok) and notebook after notebook of receipts that he collected and followed. In past years he grew his own peppers and vegetables that he froze and used over the winter. Cooking became a passion. Also, like our father Jim, Jeff had a woodworking hobby that he enjoyed as well as painting Santa Claus figures that he gave to friends and family.

Jeff also loved motorcycles and owned and rode man of them during his adult years. He hid them from our mother in a rented storage unit but rode whenever it was possible. When he felt like he needed to give motorcycles up, he brought bicycles that he rode in the parks and down in the valley. He said those were quiet and peaceful moments that he appreciated.

 Anyone who knew Jeff knew that he loved music. He once said that the three “B’s” were not Bach, Beethoven, and Brahams, but the Beatles, Bruce (Springsteen) and the Beach Boys. But his extensive music collection included jazz, classical, blues, and big band music he grew up with. He liked live music and went to hear it whenever he could.

 One of the places Jeff loved most was the beach in South Carolina. We will remember when we are walking there, when we hear the Beatles, and when we read something we know he would appreciate. He was a complex person who lived and cared for our parents in the hardest of their senior years and yet, as he got older and fell into ill health, he seldom asked for help.

 Preceded in death by parents, James and Ruth Murray, and his much-loved dog, Tai, he will be remembered by Susan (Keith Moore) and Lisa Murray and would probably be surprised by all those who remember him fondly. One of his all-time favorite Beatles songs was “Hey Jude” …. “take a sad song and make it better.” We will do that.

 If you would like to make a donation in Jeff Murray’s memory, please make it to the Kidney Foundation with our gratitude.

Visitation to honor Jeff will be held Thursday, September 26 from 12:00 pm until time of service at 1:00pm at Clifford-Shoemaker Funeral Home. Burial at Chestnut Hill Memorial Park to follow immediately.