Beverly Murray, beloved and faithful family matriarch and parishioner of St. Clement of Rome Parish for 56 years, peacefully ascended to her heavenly place to join her beloved husband of 73 years on Monday, January 18, 2021 at 7:30am. Born in New Orleans on August 25, 1927, Beverly devoted all of her energy and love during her life to her family and friends. She was involved in volunteer charity work through St. Vincent DePaul to help those in need and often assisted with Knights of Columbus Council #2873 events at Father Seelos Hall in Metairie during her husband Charley’s many decades as a devoted and active member. Beverly was a devout Catholic throughout her life, attending masses at St. Clement of Rome parish.
Throughout her life and all the way into her 70s, Beverly enjoyed landing redfish in Grand Isle near Cheniere Island and specifically in a certain bayou secretly named “Murray’s Cut.” The camp her husband built in the late ‘60s was her happy place and was always filled with laughter, card games, great food and camaraderie with family, friends and neighbors for decades. Referred to fondly as “Maw Maw,” she stood as an iconic centerpiece in her family and had a unique way of never getting any of our jokes, which would ironically lead to all-around laughter for her friends and family. Her warmth, that we’d each discover during hours of jigsaw puzzle making, brought many of us joy and much needed sanctuary in a crazy world. Those treasured, quiet moments were where you truly got to know her. She loved games and stashed away vintage and tattered board games, ready to be pulled out at any moment. She would often challenge you to a game of Yahtzee, Scrabble, Chinese Checkers, Hangman, Connect the Dots or the obscure and lesser-known “Cootie!” She loved dressing up for Mardi Gras in makeshift costumes created from garbage bags for Thoth, Mid-City and Bacchus in the French Quarter before devoutly starting the fast of Lent. Conveniently, her house on Turnbull was near the Veterans Blvd. parade route, so it was an easy walk to catch the festivities with the grand kids in tow. Some of us recall funny memories of Maw Maw attempting to be strict about the kids getting too much sugar, so she would serve us from a 1 lb. bag of generic puffed wheat, while she ate Captain Crunch in front of us. In many ways, Beverly remained innocent and childlike throughout her life, which only endeared us to her all the more. In truth, much as her faith teaches, she actually exhibited profound humility nearly all of the time, never putting herself first. And frankly, that proved to be her most important lesson for each of us. Only recently did she come to realize, during prayer with her family, just how much love and beauty she had brought into the world. And fortunately, we were able to help her see that.
Beverly Murray is preceded in death by her father, Clarence DeBuys, mother, Mamie Buford DeBuys, her beloved husband of 73 years, Charles A. Murray, and son-in-law, Charles L. “Beetsie” Rainey, Jr. She is survived by her daughters, Diane Murray Johnson (Carney) and Linda Murray Rainey. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Michael Charles Rainey (Shelley), Darren James Vogt (Trisha), Darnell Vogt Boudreaux (Shane), and David Charles Rainey, great grandchildren, Coty Babin (Traci), Cameron Vogt, Cannon Burgess, Erin Vogt, Carter Burgess, Emma Rainey, and Clara Rainey, and great-great-grandsons, Cole Babin and Braylon Babin.
A funeral service will be held on Friday, January 22, 2021 at Leitz-Eagan Funeral Home, 4747 Veterans Memorial Blvd. Metairie, LA. Visitation will be held from 9AM-noon with a Mass to begin at noon. Interment will follow at Greenwood Cemetery, 120 City Park Ave. New Orleans, LA.
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