James Murray Sr.

MILLBURY - James "Jim" Vincent Murray Sr., 80, of West Millbury, passed away on Tuesday, March 19th at Care One, Millbury due to the rapid decline from Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) commonly mis-diagnosed for Parkinson's Disease and affects less than 20,000 Americans each year.

He was born in Worcester, the son of John Patrick and Nellie (Donovan) Murray. Jim leaves behind his loving wife of 58 years, Rose (Chesnis) Murray; 6 children, Jamie Armin and her husband, Alfred of Encino, CA, Lisa Corbin and her husband, Mark of Spencer, James Jr. and his wife, Margaret "Peg" of Meriden, CT, Susan Karlson and her husband, Aaron of Londonderry, NH, Mary Murray, and John Patrick and his wife, Nicole of Holden; 14 grandchildren, Caitlin Palazzo, Jonathan, Stephen & Alex Corbin, Brittany Soper, Derek, Dylan & Daniel Murray, Sophia & Natalie Karlson, Cameron & Amanda McCarthy, Ryan & Sarah Murray, 4 step-grandchildren Andrew & Adam Armin and Nathan & Jenna Karlson, and 3 great-grandchildren Timothy Murray, Ariel Soper and Stephen Corbin, Jr. Sadly, Jim will miss baby Palazzo due to arrive this summer. Jim leaves his siblings John "Jack" (Joan) Murray, Mary (Tom) Gavigan and Richard "Dick" (Georgia) Murray. His brother, Patrick "Joe" predeceased him.

Jim graduated from Classical High School and Worcester State College, Class of 1965. He taught science at the former Chandler Street Junior High School and retired from teaching at Forest Grove Middle School, Worcester. Upon retiring from a full teaching career, Jim drove a school bus for many years for the Worcester Public Schools. Before becoming an educator, Jim served in the National Guard and was a Captain for the Worcester County Sheriff's Department at the old Summer Street Jail, Worcester. Jim was an active member of the Education Association of Worcester and a CCD Teacher for many years at St. Brigid Church, Millbury. Jim loved playing and competing in handball, softball & judo in his younger years. He loved skating & passing the puck at the pond and at the local rinks with his children, tossing the football around and carrying on his parents love of gardening by planting his own summer vegetable garden. He was an avid Boston sports fan, especially for the Boston Bruins and was ecstatic when they won their first Stanley Cup in 2011, waiting four decades to see them win the Cup again! Jim loved the outdoors and especially enjoyed time with his grandchildren taking nature walks to the pond and down to see the Pearson's cows grazing in the field. He enjoyed playing checkers and cribbage. Most of all, Jim loved telling stories! His loved ones and friends will always remember his strength, positive outlook and his favorite saying, "That's life!"

Family and friends will honor and remember James’s life by gathering for a time of visitation on Sunday, March 24th from 4 to 7 p.m. at Mulhane Home for Funerals, 45 N. Main Street in Millbury.  His funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Monday, March 25th in St. Brigid Church, 59 N. Main St. in Millbury.  Burial will follow at St. John’s Cemetery in Worcester.   In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Cardiology Research & Development https://www.bidmc.org or National Alzheimer's Association https://www.alz.org or National Multiple Sclerosis Society https://www.nationalmssociety.org or Wounded Warrior Project https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org.  The family will be setting up a scholarship for future science educators at Worcester State University in memory of Jim.