Brian John Murley

Brian Murley, age 60, passed away on Wednesday, September 27, 2017 at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa. Born July 17, 1957 in Brooklyn, NY to Robert and Mary Murley, and was the second of four children. He was a 1975 graduate of Riverview High School in Sarasota and attended college at Suffolk Community College in Selden, NY. When Brian was 13 years old, his family moved from New York to Oklahoma. As a true testament to his character from a young age, Brian worked throughout the school year to save enough money to visit Elaine Petrassi, his first love, and his friends on Long Island every year at Christmas and in the summer. Through junior and senior high school, he traveled to New York at least twice a year until he moved back the day after he graduated high school. On July 29, 1979, Brian and Elaine got married and had two daughters together, Lauren and Elise. Brian’s entrepreneurial spirit served him well throughout his life as he pursued several successful business ventures. As a teenager, he started a landscaping business to afford to travel to New York each summer. After college, he started businesses in the automotive industry, including window tinting and rust proofing companies. When Brian and his family moved to South Florida in the early 1990’s, he also ran businesses and served as an expert in the car transmission industry. He raised two wonderful daughters with Elaine. They loved to spend time together as a family at the beach, trying new restaurants and playing in the pool. They also spent weekends visiting Brian’s parents in Sarasota often. Brian enjoyed life and always wanted his daughters to have fun. Brian is survived by his mother Mary Murley, his daughters Lauren Dunaj and Elise Murley, his grandson Jack Dunaj, his son-in-law Robert Dunaj, his son-in-law to be Ben Stewart, his brother David Murley, his sister Elizabeth Harmon, his brother-in-law Danny Harmon, his brother Alan Murley and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father Robert Murley. He will be remembered by all who knew him as a kindhearted, generous, honest man who loved and cherished his family. He always maintained an optimistic outlook on life, even while struggling with his health for many years. His positivity, perseverance and good-natured spirit lives on in his daughters and his grandson, Jack. Brian will be remembered at Christ the King Catholic Church 821 S Dale Mabry Hwy, Tampa 33609 on Saturday, October 14 at 10 a.m. All are welcome to attend and celebrate Brian’s life with his family and friends. Donations can be made in Brian’s memory to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.