Mary Elizabeth Collins-Murray

Mary Elizabeth Murray passed away on August 18, 2019. She was born July 26, 1928, in Houston, Texas to Melvin Collins and Mary Louise Berry. She spent her early years in Southeast Texas between Houston, Pennington and Groveton. As a child she appreciated anyone who was kind to her, and it was important for her to be kind to others too. She often stayed with her grandparents on their farm and was helpful with the chores. She loved to read and often commented that, “books are my friends.” As a child she was good at board games and was a top-notch Monopoly player. Later, she became an expert Bridge player. She moved to the Los Angeles area with her mother during World War II and then to Midland, Texas after the war.

In 1946 Elizabeth graduated from Midland High School and attended All Saints Episcopal College for Girls in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Later, she was employed in an office job at Shell Oil Company in Midland. Harry Sinclair Murray Jr. noticed her while picking up his sister, Marilyn Murray (Judson), who also worked at Shell. After being introduced, they became engaged in April and then married on June 5, 1947. Although most of Sinclair’s friends and business associates called him Harry, she always called him Sinclair which was the name the family used.

Between 1948 and 1959 she had four sons. She was involved in many activities in Midland. In the late 1950’s, she was the publicity chairman for the Young Republicans in Midland headed up by George H W Bush. She became a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution chapter in Midland. She and the family were members of the Westminster Presbyterian Church.

In 1964 the family moved to Highland Park in Dallas and later that year moved to Farmers Branch. Today, most of the extended family lives in the North Texas area.

Elizabeth had many interests including gardening, graphology, and reading. As an avid reader, she was especially fond of all of Earl Stanley Gardner’s Perry Mason novels.

Later in the 1960’s, she earned a Master’s certification in Graphology and was qualified to testify in court proceedings concerning documents and signatures. She wrote a weekly column for the Farmers Branch Times on handwriting analysis and also taught classes in graphology.

She and Sinclair enjoyed entertaining friends and business associates in their home. They also enjoyed traveling and took numerous trips to Mexico. They organized several tours to Europe with family and friends. Elizabeth eventually joined a travel agency and in 1986 became a Certified Travel Counselor specializing in international trips. She even accompanied a spry 90 year-old lady named Elsie on a trip to Egypt.

She and Sinclair took Deputy Sheriff’s classes and were sworn in as reserve Dallas County Deputy Sheriffs in the 1970s. She boasted that she was a better shot than Sinclair.

After their youngest son Jim graduated from high school, they moved to Crossroads, Texas where they purchased a home on 30 acres. In the 1980’s, they moved to Double Oak, Texas.

Later, Elizabeth moved to Irving, Texas to be near Sinclair who was living in an assisted living facility due to his declining health. She lived in a quaint cottage and soon became friends with her neighbors. Sinclair past away in 2012. She later moved into an assisted living facility in North Irving. After several hospitalizations, her health declined and she passed away on August 18, 2019. She will be buried near her late husband at the DFW National Cemetery in Dallas, Texas.

Survivors include:

Three siblings:

Rochelle Hines Isdale of Athens, Texas

Merritt Fulton Hines Jr. of Athens, Texas

Kathleen Collins Walker of Huntington, Texas

Four children:

Harry Sinclair Murray III (Joy) of Lake Cyprus Springs, Texas

Michael Bruce Murray (Kathleen) of Irving, Texas

John Carter Murray of Cross Roads, Texas

James Melvin Murray (Kerry) of Hickory Creek, Texas

Ten grandchildren:

Dustin Murray of Trinidad, Colorado

Gail Murray Kremer of Ft. Worth, Texas

David Murray of Irving, Texas

Daniel Murray of Irving, Texas

Steven Murray of Irving, Texas

Sarah Murray of Cross Roads, Texas

Emeline Brewer of Corinth, Texas

Michael Murray of Hickory Creek, Texas

Corbin Murray of Austin, Texas

Grace Murray of Hickory Creek, Texas

Four great-grandchildren:

Kristin Murray of Ft. Worth, Texas

Dylan Murray of College Station, Texas

Timothy Kremer of Ft. Worth, Texas

Elizabeth Kremer of Ft. Worth, Texas

One great-great grandchild:

Paisley Kralicke of Ft. Worth, Texas

Numerous nieces and nephews