Leroy Joe Murray III peacefully left his earthly grip to be in the arms of his Savior on Thursday, Jan. 20, 2022, at the young age of 87 in Coeur d’Alene surrounded by loved ones.
Leroy was born Oct. 3, 1934, in Walla Walla to Leroy Joe Murray II “Roy” and Mabel Beeson Murray. As a young boy, Leroy took the hard knocks of life when he flunked fourth grade. After finishing fourth grade the second time around, the teachers told him, “Junior, you are still as stupid as you were the first time around!” This harshness must have struck a chord in young Junior because his light bulb kicked on in sixth grade, producing straight A’s from then on, and the light switch was never turned off, truly, for the rest of his life. If only those teachers could have seen the accomplishments this young man achieved throughout his career. Working in his father’s radio/TV/foreign car repair shop furthered Leroy’s on-the-job experiences, expanding his knowledge about how to make a living in life and enhancing his desire to have a powerful and unwavering work ethic. Which, by the way, must be in the Murray bloodline. Leroy remembers picking strawberries to earn money for his first gun, a 32 Winchester Special … another love is born, both of guns and strawberries.
He graduated from Sandpoint High School (the last graduating class in that building) in 1952. He immediately started his continuing education at the University of Idaho and received his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering in 1956. At the university, he met a lovely little blonde girl named Carolyn Sue Brabb and love took its course for them as they married on her 20th birthday, Sept. 1, 1956. They later blessed their union in 1958 with a daughter, Rebecca Sue “Becky,” and in 1960, a son, Leroy Joe Murray IV “Joe.” Tragically, Sue unexpectedly passed away in 1962, leaving their family empty. Leroy took work where he could, all the while tending to the needs of his two small children. They lived in Alaska for a while after the big earthquake and he put his electrical engineering magic to work. Becky and Joe remember the fun they had with their dad there; lots of fishing and sights to see. In 1965, Leroy married Marcia Blood and the family became whole again. Leroy and Marcia later added to the family a son, Myron, in 1969, and another son, Marty, in 1970.
Leroy attended Freeze Community Church in Potlatch with his family and always delighted in sharing the gospel with others. His passion for “the word” was monumental. He particularly shared verses about forgiveness, so without being remiss, he would be pleased for you to reference in the Bible Matthew 6:14 “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” He fervently told his loved ones and all those that would listen, “Remember the cross.” Leroy has requested a special message paraphrased from scripture to be placed on his headstone: “Here is the body of Leroy Joe Murray III. His spirit is in heaven. If you want to see him again you MUST confess Jesus before man so that Jesus will confess you before the Father. There is no other way.”
So, in life and in death, dear Leroy, through the word of our Lord your message shall be heard. Let his people listen.
Leroy worked for the Corp of Engineers right out of college in Walla Walla and at the same time began to homestead his farm in Potlatch in the early 1970s and began acquiring land. Through bank loans and hard work, he made his living a thriving success — that is, until the government placed embargoes on wheat and barley, driving prices down which was catastrophic for farmers trying to make land payments. He was forced to give up the farm he so loved. Fortunately, Leroy was a determined man and also a “jack of all trades” and was able to use his other talents to support his family. He drove log trucks for a while and then he began his next journey utilizing his degree in electrical engineering. As the years progressed, he climbed the mountain of success throughout his career, achieving a PE in Electrical Engineering. He worked for the Corp of Engineers in Korea and in Japan and as a project manager/contractor for many places including the Department of Defense Air Force Base in Mountain Home, Idaho, Garco Construction, Washington State Department of Corrections, InterMountain Construction, Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane, U.S. Army in Hawaii and so many more. There was no true retirement for him as he was avidly sought after in his expertise as an electrical engineer, even at the young age of 85.
The great outdoors and being in nature was truly one of Leroy’s favorite passions. His particular love for Avery, Idaho, found him in his purest glory. Those mountains had elk in them, you see — lots of elk — and Leroy has the ivories to prove it. He so enjoyed hunting and hiking those mountains, often accompanied by his sons, grandsons and/or great friends. And if you ever attended one of Leroy’s birthday parties, you were wearing hiking boots because the cake was served over yonder that mountain.
He has been referenced by a few names: Leroy, Dad, Grandpa Leroy, Papa Leroy, “L,” Papa Wheely and Jampapa. One of the favorites was his own given title, “Elderly Gray-Haired Gentleman up North.”
If anyone ever had a vice, it was not Leroy, and he was proud to tell you about it. He never ever drank, smoked or drank a cup of coffee. “I never want to be held captive by something unnecessary, irrelevant or excessive,” he would say. But there is one thing he could not say no to, and that was a huckleberry pie. Why not, those mountains were ripe for the picking. Family and friends were blessed with his harvest of the tart berries and even better yet when shared over a competitive game of UNO.
Leroy is survived by his loving family; his sister, Joan Brown; daughter, Rebecca Sue (Mark) Keck; and sons, Joe (Linda) Murray, Myron (Hanna) Murray, and Marty (Bobby) Murray; grandchildren, Jacob (Crissa) Keck, Emily (Russell) Gottschalk, L.J. (Sylvia) Murray, Lindsey (Jack) Dunbar, and Evan (Anna) Lovel; and great-grandchildren, Jacob Roy, Jocelyn, Brooklyn, Mak, Ali, Ryan, Owen, Connor, Joey, Mya, Montalia, Ruby and one on the way. He was also uncle to Margie Myers, Frankie Brown, Diane and Suzette. Leroy also leaves behind his childhood friend whom he was neighbors and family travelers with while living in Sandpoint, Wanda Savage. Wanda said that back then as kids, she had a secret crush on Leroy. Later in life her crush came to fruition and she became his beautiful companion that he dearly loved.
He is preceded in death by his parents; his first wife, Sue, in 1962; and dear Marcia in 2020.
The family plans a private memorial service at a later date and will celebrate his life with a piece of huckleberry pie. Please, in the future, when you have a slice of your own, look up to the heavens and fondly say, “Leroy, this bite is for you.”
