Mr. Emory P Murray Jr.

Emory Paul Murray, Jr., 86, returned to his heavenly home on January 29, 2022. Above all other things in his life, Emory put Jesus first. His family and friends take comfort knowing that his place at the Lord’s table had been prepared and that Emory was ready to take his seat.

Emory was born on January 22, 1936, in Brownwood, Texas, to Emory Paul Sr and Marguerite. “E Paul,” as his dad called him, was quite the little rascal as a child and often seemed to have a look of mischief on his face. He enjoyed spending time at the Edgefield Pharmacy in Oak Cliff which was owned by his dad. This set the stage for Emory’s 55-year career as a pharmacist.

Emory met JoAnn, who would become the love of his life, at Hyde Park Baptist Church in Austin. Both Emory and JoAnn were students at the University of Texas (hook ‘em!) so it was only appropriate for Emory to propose to JoAnn at the top of the UT Tower one cold day in November. He was nervous but she said yes (whew!) and they were married on January 26, 1961. Early on, Emory christened JoAnn as “Bunny” and that became her nickname throughout their marriage.

Emory and Bunny lived all over Texas, as well as in Virginia and Puerto Rico, before buying a house on Mercedes Avenue in Dallas in 1972. This is the house that became their lifelong home, and where many wonderful memories were made. We still expect him to pop his head around the corner and give us one of his big smiles.

After completing his pharmacy degree in 1959, Emory decided he wanted to learn Spanish so he enrolled at the University of North Texas and obtained a Spanish degree. What he initially thought was just a hobby turned into so much more. Speaking Spanish fluently opened many doors for Emory and fostered countless relationships. Pablo or Pablito, as he was known to his Spanish-speaking friends, would ride the bus to Mexico several times a year so he could attend the local fairs and socialize with his friends, and later he would participate in mission trips to Mexico with his church. When you think of Emory, you can’t help but think of his bus trips to Mexico as this was one of his biggest passions! And when he wasn’t in Mexico, he was at the next best thing - Taqueria Pedrito’s, a taqueria in East Dallas where you could find Emory most Tuesday evenings, enjoying the folklorico dancing and the camaraderie.

Emory was a doting husband and father, and he made sure that his children never wanted for anything. He taught them all how to drive, took them on family vacations every summer, paid for them to go to college, and bought them more cars than he would probably care to remember. During their elementary school years, Emory would often take all 3 children to school on his bicycle, at the same time. Neighbors would stop what they were doing to watch this feat! And as his children grew up and moved out, Emory would often send them postcards to let them know he was thinking of them.

Emory had an incredibly strong work ethic, and all his colleagues knew if they were ever in a bind that Emory would be there for them. He worked full time (and then some!) until his retirement at the age of 78, but even then Emory would still reminisce about returning to work. He absolutely loved his job and loved helping people.

Emory was one of the most generous people who you could ever hope to meet. He had such a giving spirit, but he did so quietly and unassumingly because he never wanted attention drawn to his good deeds. Emory may not have always told you how he felt about you, but he made darn sure to show you that he cared! We will never know how many lives he touched but we know that his compassion, care and grace for others was some of his most valued life's work.

Emory loved making people laugh and was known for his pranks and jokes. He always had a quick comeback and great delivery, and his laugh could fill a room. And then there was his sweet tooth! If there was a bowl of candy around, that’s where you would find Emory, making sure to also fill his pockets for later. Peach cobbler was his favorite dessert and he would race through a meal if he knew some cobbler was waiting for him. Last but certainly not least, if you heard Emory referring to his “girls,” he didn’t mean his daughters. Emory inherited a fondness for pet chickens from his dad, and one of his favorite pastimes was to sit in the backyard with his “girls,” watching them walk around and graze. These were some of the most pampered chickens you’ve ever met!

Heaven has gained an angel who will no doubt keep everyone laughing! Emory’s life was one of a kind - a journey paved with faith, family, and hard work and filled to the brim with love, kindness, laughter, community, dessert, pets, and a generosity of spirit that left its mark on so many. How lucky are we to have had him here on earth for as long as we did and to have played a part in a life so fully lived. We love you, E Paul.

Emory is survived by his wife of 61 years, JoAnn; his daughters Amy and Kayla; and his faithful canine companions Conan and Lucy. Emory is preceded in death by his sons Nathan and Clinton Murray; his parents Emory Sr and Marguerite Murray; his sister Jo Armstrong; his nephew David Armstrong; and his niece Carolyn Armstrong.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to one of the following three charities: Mision Bautista Betesda (Emory was very involved with this mission; donations can be made through his church - please make a notation on the electronic donation or on the check that it is in memory of Emory Murray; www.grandviewbc.org); KiDs Beach Club (www.kidsbeachclub.org); or the SPCA of Texas (spca.org).

The family will receive visitors from 12:00 to 1:45 p.m. on Tuesday, February 8, 2022, at Laurel Land Memorial Park, 6300 South R.L Thornton Freeway in Dallas, Texas, with the service following at 2:00 p.m. There will also be a live streaming option. A graveside service will take place directly afterwards.