HAMPSTEAD — Martin “Marty” Joseph Murray Sr., 66, of Hampstead, NC passed away January 17, 2022, after a
brief and brave fight with cancer.
Marty was born April 9, 1955, to George and Ellen Murray in Chicago, Illinois. He was the fifth of their thirteen children, and he took pride in his South Side Irish-Catholic heritage. He was a follower of Jesus and a man of service. A helper at heart, he never met a stranger and would give anyone the shirt off his back. It’s fitting that he was a Cubs fan as he always rooted for the underdog, in sports and in life. He was also a prankster and always had a good joke to tell. Marty was the co-founder and co-director of the environmentalist group Broken Arrow, which pressured the Department of Energy for ten years, resulting in the clean-up of Red Gate Woods where nuclear experiments were conducted and radioactive materials were buried as part of the Manhattan Project. He served as the former VP of Kiwanis Club of Hampstead and enjoyed his role as a Refuge Ministry counselor at Port City Community Church. Marty never passed up an opportunity to sing karaoke, especially “My Way.”
Marty is preceded in death by his father, George Murray, mother, Ellen [Oberfell] Murray, sister, Katie Murray, and sister-in-law, Marjorie Murray. He is survived by his beloved wife, Cathleen Murray; daughters, Felicia Remblake, Kelly Cascaden, Erin Murray, and son, Martin “Joe” Murray Jr.; grandchildren, Nicole Fredrickson, Anthony Mendoza, Anna Fredrickson, Ryan Fredrickson, Maximus Cascaden, Leo Cascaden, Brooklyn Crumbacker, and Sophie Murray; great-grandchildren, Aubrey Fredrickson, Andrew Taylor II, Athena Seals, Prince Seals, Atreus Seals, Melanie Fredrickson, and Brantley Fredrickson; step-children, Jeremy (Jennifer) Cooper and Crystal (Allen) Vick; step-grandchildren, William Cooper, Diamond Cooper, Aiden Vick, Ellie Vick, and Cooper Vick; sisters, June Murray, Georgine Murray, Mary (Ed) Klus, Ellie (Steve) Bartucci, Ruth (Bill) Fear, and Peggy Finley; brothers, Michael Murray, Patrick Murray,
Jack Murray, James (Abby) Murray, and George Murray. He was also a fond uncle and great-uncle to many nieces and nephews.
A memorial service for Marty is scheduled for Friday, January 28, 2022, at 1 p.m. at Port City Community Church in Wilmington, NC.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Christian Recovery Houses, Inc or in the spirit of Marty’s giving nature, find a way to provide an act of kindness to a stranger.
Checks may be mailed to Christian Recovery Houses, Inc:
PO Box 3481, Wilmington, NC 28406 with “in memory of Marty Murray” in the memo line. https://www.christianrecoveryhouses.org/donate
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