Joe Lee Murrow, Sr.

Services for Joe Lee Murrow, Sr. will be held on June 17, 2014, at 10:00 am at the First Baptist Church in Troy, Texas with Rev. Chris Cannon officiating. Interment will follow in Wilson Valley Cemetery in Little River-Academy, Texas. Joe "Mr. Muffins" Murrow was born to Giles Nathan Murrow and Lorena Pruitt on April 10, 1943, near Cedar Creek in Bell County, Texas. He attended school at Salado ISD for a period of time and then moved to Troy ISD, where he began his long time support of the Troy Trojans. It is believed that when the players loaded on the bus, he followed them all the way to their destination and all the way back to Troy. The young players often called him "Papa Joe." Even until the end, he encouraged his family to go and support the Mighty Trojans as they made a run for the state title in baseball. On June 18, 1965 in Cameron, Texas, he married Hester Clinard, daughter of Chester Clinard and Velva Birdie Crow from Maysfield, Texas. God blessed this couple with four children: daughters Jeannie Lee, Linda Sue, and Brenda Gail, and one son, Joe Lee Murrow, Jr. Of all that he accomplished in life, nothing was more important to him than his loving family. He loved doing genealogy and going to research cemeteries in search of long lost relatives that he never even knew. Family reunions were his way to make sure the family stayed together, and he enjoyed seeing everyone and remembering those that had already gone home to be with the Lord. Over the years Joe Lee would provide for his family while working at Aubrey Slogh Construction, John Ralston Construction, and Wilsonart International, from which he retired in 1992. While working for Wilsonart he would be known as "Mr. Cling" and "Josie Wales." Later in retirement he worked for Mark Forbes with the Pendleton Water Company. Even though he worked in construction and manufacturing, Joe Lee was a man with many talents. His ability to work on motor vehicles was second to none. He could tell you what was wrong with your automobile by just hearing the motor running. Thus was born his racing hobby. Joe was an avid race car driver and enjoyed not only the challenge but the friendship with the other drivers and their families. Until his health changed, you could always find Joe at the track in Elmont and Bellmead, Texas, on Friday and Saturday nights during racing season. Joe enjoyed helping work on Roger Bull's race car, even though he said he didn't know that much about it. His love for racing would grow with NASCAR as he supported the Ford cars racing each Sunday and his model car collection proved his love for the sport. Many times one would catch Joe taking a break from motor sports to spend the day out on a lake or river fishing with his long time fishing partners, Tommie Kirby and Marion Fowler. He always claimed that no one could fish like them. Hobbies were something Joe Lee enjoyed very much. He loved wood work and always enjoyed trying out new tools and saws just to see what he could do with them. Coaching his daughters' softball teams was something he loved. Bowling was a sport he enjoyed over the years and he would prove to be a worthy challenger to all that he competed against. His love for sports did not stop with bowling; no one loved the Texas Longhorns and Dallas Cowboys more than Joe. He kept his yard in mint condition and proved to many that one must follow his guidelines to have a yard that was enjoyed so much and envied by many. Of all his hobbies, none proved more intense than his love to plant and harvest his vegetable garden. Many times family, friends, and strangers would stop by his home and ask Joe Lee for his gardening secrets and some even took photos to show their friends and family. Even though his health was getting worse this past spring, Joe, along with his wife, Hester, planted one of his best gardens to date. On many weekends, Joe along with his brother in law Tommy Kirby, would entertain their families with some good old fashioned guitar picking on the porch. Being musically inclined, it was no surprise to anyone when he began going to hear his longtime family friends, Doug and Joe Maddox, perform karaoke at Sefcik Hall. He is preceded in death by his parents, Giles Nathan and Lorena Pruitt Murrow; one brother, T. J. Threadgill; two sisters, Gertie Ophelia Murrow Arnold and Lola Mae Murrow Grospiron. Joe Lee is survived by his wife, Hester; daughters, Jeannie Lee Williford and husband Larry, Linda Sue Pittman and husband Calvin, Brenda Gail Standfield and son Joe Lee Murrow, Jr. and wife Rebecca; eleven grandchildren - Christopher Ray Williford, Ashley Renee' Williford, Audra Beth Pittman, Laura Nicole Pittman, Krystal Loranie Pittman, Daniel Ryan Pittman, Spencer Alan Standfield, Amy Leann Standfield, Nathan Gregory Standfield, Joe Lee Murrow III, Jarrett Layne Murrow; three great grandchildren - Kylee Marie Williford, Evangeline Mariella Cole, Elijah Jacob Cole; one twin brother, Wilburn Lee Murrow; one sister, Josephine "Jo" Laverne Harrison; and many nieces and nephews. Family Visitation will be held on June 16, 2014, at Scanio-Harper Funeral Home in Temple, Texas. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Wilson Valley Cemetery Association or to the Glenda Tanner Vasicek Cancer Treatment Center.