Natalie Ann Spinney Murray

Natalie was born in Rochester, New Hampshire on August 13, 1934 to Ernest O. and Ida L. (Cotton) Spinney. She grew up in North Wakefield, New Hampshire.

Her schooling began in a one room schoolhouse in Wakefield. She graduated from Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire in 1952. She studied nursing at the Eliot Hospital School of Nursing and graduated as an RN in 1955.

Natalie moved to Boston with classmates and worked at the Beth Israel Hospital. Coming back to New Hampshire to help care for her mother, she worked at Huggins Hospital and a small nursing home, The Door Stop.

In 1960 she married David Murray and moved to Valhalla, New York where she was on the nursing staff at Grasslands Hospital before moving back to Wolfeboro.

In 1962 they welcomed their daughter, Nancy Jane.

After David joined the US Air Force the family moved to Ohio, then San Antonio, Texas where they welcomed their son John David in 1966.

The family was stationed on several air bases, including Illinois, Arizona and Plattsburg, New York before purchasing a home in Falmouth, Maine in 1971 where they have lived for the past 55 years.

In 1991 they were thrilled to welcome their grandson Andrew David Murray,

Natalie enjoyed many creative pursuits from embroidery, cake decorating and many handicrafts. One of her great passions was reading. She often had several books going at one time - one for waiting at appointments, one beside her bed and one for just enjoying.

Natalie joined the Maine Senior College at USM in 1997 which became the first Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI). She enjoyed learning writing, music, history, art, theater and poetry. It was there that she found her “poetic voice”. She was named the Maine Senior College Network Poet Laureate in 2012.

In 2014 her book Lemon Drop Day was published. It was the thrill of her life to know that her book is in the Library of Congress.

In 1985 for their 25th anniversary, David asked Natalie what she wanted to do. “Go to London”. That year they went to London and Scotland. They returned several times including in 2013 when they took their grandson, Andrew.

They also traveled to France, Italy, Spain. With OLLI they traveled to Greece, Ireland, Prague and four national parks in the western US states. They enjoyed several cruises to Bermuda, the Caribbean and through the Panama Canal stopping in a few countries in Central and South America.

During all the travels, Natalie loved learning about the history and art as well as the culture and food.

Natalie was predeceased by her parents and older siblings: Leona McSorely of Anchorage Alaska and her brother Bruce Spinney of Wisconsin.

She is survived by her husband David of 66 years, daughter Nancy, son John, grandson Andrew and great-grandchildren Caellum, Zinnia, Maitreya and Veda.

A celebration of Natalie’s life will be held on November 7 from 2 to 4 pm at Jones, Rich and Barnes Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to OLLI - Maine Senior College at University of Southern Maine.