Frank Lee Murray

The youngest child of Johnnie Murray and Ophelia Cockerham, Frankie Lee Murray “Frank” was born July 19, 1937 in 
Waxahachie, Texas.  He passed from this life into eternity on July 15, 2021. He was predeceased by his parents, brother 
James, and wife Mary and is survived by his daughter Elizabeth and daughter-in-law Andrea.

I didn’t know anyone called him “Frankie” until his aunts visited one evening years ago, filling us with story after story of 
young Frankie’s exploits. From the stories you could tell he was a mischievous little thing and totally adored by his aunts. He 
later told me the aunts saved him from a few parental whippins’ for cutting up during services at the local Baptist Church. By 
the way, I found his birth certificate and DD214 in the “Important Papers” confirming Frankie really is his given name.  Side 
note, if asking Frank where any legal document, warranty, etc might be, the filing system and I use that term loosely, was 
always the same; look in the “Important Papers”. 

Frank grew up in nearby Italy, pronounced “It-ly”. He played 6-man football and worked on the farm with his dad learning 
about livestock, tractors, implements, and crops. They hunted, they cared for the land, they grew things, they built things. He 
learned self-sufficiency and hard work which would serve him well through out his life culminating in building a couple of 
houses and barns singlehandedly as a fulfillment of his and my mother’s retirement dreams.

Frank served his country in the Army for six years beginning the year I was born. He had several expert marksmen citations 
that I recently found stained with age at the bottom of box. I asked him about that time, his reply, oh that was a long time 
ago. When he was discharged he went to work as a lineman for Dallas Power & Light. After several years on the job, he 
opted for a career change to something safer joining Bell Helicopter Textron. He worked for Bell until retirement.

I asked him to write down his vital information after my mother passed away. Those important things like doctor contacts, 
medications, etc just in case a future need presented itself. He did begrudgingly. His info consisted of maybe a half a page, 
however there were two pages of instructions on how to care for the cows and the dog. He’s spent the last couple of months 
trying his best to put things in order. We’ve got a fantastic new driveway because I mentioned I had a flat tire from a 
mesquite thorn after a recent visit. Our nightly sunset talks were of hope in being reunited with his Mary and the awe of 
everlasting life with his savior Jesus. One evening he pondered the possibility of sending me a sign when he crossed into 
eternity and met up with mother; sure enough, he must of asked God for a favor right away because the sunset just after he 
passed was a brilliant orange ball of fire balanced perfectly on the horizon with streaks of purple, yellow and gold washing 
over the west Texas sky between the clouds…a most beautiful sight.

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