Elinor I. Murray
September 16, 1928 — February 10, 2011
Elinor Ione Murray was born on September 16, 1928 to Homer and Mary (Hazard) Jensen in Clay Township near Elk Horn, Iowa. She attended school in Harlan and graduated from Harlan High School with the Class of 1948.
On March 5, 1949, she was united in marriage to Rae Murray at the United Methodist Church in Irwin, Iowa. Four children were born to this union: Eileen, Gail, Lyla, and Brian.
Town girl married farm boy so Elinor had to learn how to milk cows, farrow and raise hogs, butcher chickens and run for machinery parts. She never learned to operate any of the farm machinery. She said "it was Rae�s job."
Elinor was involved in various ladies church circles, a 4-H leader, volunteer for helping at the voting booths on election days and belonged to the ladies card club. She also loved sewing, making teddy bears with Donna Jean Murray and most of all making quilts which she learned to do as a young girl because of a childhood illness. She made quilts for her nieces and nephews and grandchildren as a wedding day gift. She also made baby quilts for her grandchildren to be wrapped in when they came home from the hospital.
After years on the farm, Elinor and Ray moved into Harlan. She worked at a convenience store where she later won a week long free trip to Hawaii. Elinor�s dream as a young girl was to become a care giver of people. After she raised her family, she became a certified nurses assistant at the age of fifty-six. She worked at Elm Crest Retirement Home for twenty years until health made her retire at the age of seventy-six. She loved her work, the residents and co-workers; they became family to her.
She died on Thursday, February 10, 2011 at Elm Crest Retirement Home having attained the age of eighty-two years, four months, and twenty-five days. She was preceded in death by her parents, her son Brian who died on Mother�s Day in 1982, and her daughter Eileen Owens who died on Christmas Eve in 2004.
Elinor is survived by her husband of sixty-one years Rae Murray of Harlan, Iowa; daughters Gail Murray of Omaha, Nebraska and Lyla and her husband Michael Smith of Irwin, Iowa; seven grandchildren; ten great-grandchildren; sisters Evelyn Frampton of Elk Horn, Iowa and Frances Jensen of Harlan; brother Ronald Jensen and his wife Kathy of Branson, Missouri, other family members and many friends.
Tom Williamson, Asera Care Hospice pastor, conducted the 2:00 PM funeral service at Pauley Jones Funeral Home in Harlan, Iowa. Honorary casket bearers were Dena Lucci and Beckie Greer. Serving as casket bearers were Shannon Owens, Travis Smith, Matthew Owens, Allen Smith, Mike Smith, and Jeremy Smith. Interment was held at the Oak Hill Cemetery in Irwin, Iowa.
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On March 5, 1949, she was united in marriage to Rae Murray at the United Methodist Church in Irwin, Iowa. Four children were born to this union: Eileen, Gail, Lyla, and Brian.
Town girl married farm boy so Elinor had to learn how to milk cows, farrow and raise hogs, butcher chickens and run for machinery parts. She never learned to operate any of the farm machinery. She said "it was Rae�s job."
Elinor was involved in various ladies church circles, a 4-H leader, volunteer for helping at the voting booths on election days and belonged to the ladies card club. She also loved sewing, making teddy bears with Donna Jean Murray and most of all making quilts which she learned to do as a young girl because of a childhood illness. She made quilts for her nieces and nephews and grandchildren as a wedding day gift. She also made baby quilts for her grandchildren to be wrapped in when they came home from the hospital.
After years on the farm, Elinor and Ray moved into Harlan. She worked at a convenience store where she later won a week long free trip to Hawaii. Elinor�s dream as a young girl was to become a care giver of people. After she raised her family, she became a certified nurses assistant at the age of fifty-six. She worked at Elm Crest Retirement Home for twenty years until health made her retire at the age of seventy-six. She loved her work, the residents and co-workers; they became family to her.
She died on Thursday, February 10, 2011 at Elm Crest Retirement Home having attained the age of eighty-two years, four months, and twenty-five days. She was preceded in death by her parents, her son Brian who died on Mother�s Day in 1982, and her daughter Eileen Owens who died on Christmas Eve in 2004.
Elinor is survived by her husband of sixty-one years Rae Murray of Harlan, Iowa; daughters Gail Murray of Omaha, Nebraska and Lyla and her husband Michael Smith of Irwin, Iowa; seven grandchildren; ten great-grandchildren; sisters Evelyn Frampton of Elk Horn, Iowa and Frances Jensen of Harlan; brother Ronald Jensen and his wife Kathy of Branson, Missouri, other family members and many friends.
Tom Williamson, Asera Care Hospice pastor, conducted the 2:00 PM funeral service at Pauley Jones Funeral Home in Harlan, Iowa. Honorary casket bearers were Dena Lucci and Beckie Greer. Serving as casket bearers were Shannon Owens, Travis Smith, Matthew Owens, Allen Smith, Mike Smith, and Jeremy Smith. Interment was held at the Oak Hill Cemetery in Irwin, Iowa.
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