David Hugh Murray Jr.

He was born March 9, 1943, in Greenville, South Carolina, and passed away February 14, 2026, in The Woodlands, Texas, the community he called home. He was 82 years old, just weeks shy of 83.

David lived with purpose. He set goals and pursued them with discipline, and he brought that same steadiness to the people he loved. His greatest commitment was to his wife, Phyllis, and to the family they built together. He loved her with loyalty and faithfulness, and he led his home with strength, pride, and devotion. Even when work was demanding, family remained the priority. His children and grandchildren never wondered whether he would be there. He was in the stands, on the sidelines, and at the milestones. His whistle would cut through a crowd, and with it came encouragement, expectation, and unmistakable love.

He served his country as an Army Infantry Officer, including service in Vietnam where he was wounded. Those injuries changed the trajectory of his life. They demanded resilience. He adapted, leaned into his intellect, and continued forward with the same determination that defined him throughout his life, a resilience that shaped the way he worked, the way he fathered, and the way he carried hardship.

Professionally, David was an operations leader in the oil and gas industry, respected for his ability to build teams, solve complex problems, and execute with precision. He took pride in hard problems and clear execution. Stained glass became his quiet artistic release, a place where focus turned into beauty. Whether he was leading operations or shaping glass by hand, he believed in doing things the right way, carefully and with the intention that they last.

He possessed a restless curiosity about the world. Family trips often paused at rock formations, where he searched for fossils and geodes and delighted in the story hidden inside stone. Stained glass was another joy. He created pieces that remain in the homes of those he loved, quiet reminders of patience, beauty, and care. He enjoyed sports, conversation, travel, and, most of all, time with his grandchildren, whose lives were brightened by his presence.

The loss of his daughter, Jayna, marked him deeply. In grief he grew quieter and more reflective, and his faith deepened in ways those closest to him could see. Through joy and through sorrow, David remained anchored to his family with enduring presence.

David was preceded in death by his parents, David Hugh Murray and Alta Belle Troxel Murray, his brother Ronald Jay Murray, and his beloved daughter Jayna Troxel Murray.

He is survived by his devoted wife, Phyllis Ann Murray, his sons David Hugh Murray III and Dirk Douglas Murray, his daughter-in-law April Denise Murray, and his five grandchildren Casey Reed Murray, Jay Samuel Murray, Sayje Troxel Murray, Makena Ruth Murray, and Dashiell Hugh Murray, along with extended family and friends. His legacy lives on in them, in their strength, their character, and the way they show up for those they love.

A visitation will be held on Friday, February 20, 2026, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Forest Park The Woodlands Funeral Home and Cemetery, 18000 I-45, The Woodlands, Texas 77384.

A private funeral service will be held for immediate family.

His family carries his memory forward with love and will honor him by showing up for one another.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to one of the following:

The Jayna Troxel Murray Foundation, P.O. Box 9492, The Woodlands, TX 77387, Online donations: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=UHUQPU85FLDZ4

Disabled American Veterans (DAV)

The Michael J. Fox Foundation (Parkinson’s research)