Massena Murray Dies at Age of 61
Massena B. Murray, 61, eldest son of former governor William H. "Alfalfa Bill" Murray, died Sunday in St. Anthony Hospital after a cerebral hemorrhage.
Murray, Oklahoma's oil Conservation director since 1954, was taken to the hospital only a short time before his death.
Survivors include his wife, Frankie; two brothers, Johnston Murray, who was governor from 1952 to 1956 and now is an Oklahoma City attorney, and Burbank, Milwaukee, and a sister, Miss Jean Murray, Norman.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday in St. Luke's Methodist Church. Burial will be at 3 p.m. Tuesday in Tishomingo Cemetery.
Death Closes Career of Son to 'Alfalfa Bill'
Massena B. Murray, 61, eldest son of one of the state's most colorful governors, died Sunday in St. Anthony Hospital.
Murray, 512 NW 17, the son of William H. "Alfalfa Bill" Murray and Oklahoma oil conservation director since 1954, died a short time after he was taken to the hospital following a cerebral hemorrhage. His father, the state's ninth governor, died Oct. 15, 1956, at the age of 86.
As a youthful national guard officer, Massena Murray had a part in one of the most colorful incidents of his father's stormy term as governor.
Massena Called Out
In 1931, the elder Murray ordered the state's oil fields closed because of drastic drops in oil prices. To enforce the order, the governor placed the oil fields under martial law, calling out the state's guard units for patrol duty.
Massena, then a lieutenant in the guard, was among those called. He later was promoted to captain and for a time was in command of the oilfield patrol during the absence from the state of the governor's cousin, Col. Cicero Murray.
Massena Murray joined the Oklahoma Corporation Commission staff in April 1933 when the state proration department was by his father, who was then governor. He became assistant conservation officer in charge of field operations in 1947, when the conservation department was organized.
Promotion Comes in 1954
Following the resignation of Walker T. Pound, the corporation commission named him conservation director in July, 1954.
Before joining the corporation commission, Murray had worked for an oilmen's conservation committee as well as private oil companies. He also had worked for about six years in Boliva.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday in St. Luke's Methodist Church. Burial will be at 3 p.m. Tuesday in Tishomingo Cemetery under direction of Watts Funeral Home.
Survivors include his wife, Frankie; two brothers, Johnston Murray, who also was governor of the state, and Burbank, Milwaukee, and a sister, Miss Jean Murray, Norman.
Published in The Oklahoman Sept 11, 1961
Massena B. Murray, 61, eldest son of former governor William H. "Alfalfa Bill" Murray, died Sunday in St. Anthony Hospital after a cerebral hemorrhage.
Murray, Oklahoma's oil Conservation director since 1954, was taken to the hospital only a short time before his death.
Survivors include his wife, Frankie; two brothers, Johnston Murray, who was governor from 1952 to 1956 and now is an Oklahoma City attorney, and Burbank, Milwaukee, and a sister, Miss Jean Murray, Norman.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday in St. Luke's Methodist Church. Burial will be at 3 p.m. Tuesday in Tishomingo Cemetery.
Death Closes Career of Son to 'Alfalfa Bill'
Massena B. Murray, 61, eldest son of one of the state's most colorful governors, died Sunday in St. Anthony Hospital.
Murray, 512 NW 17, the son of William H. "Alfalfa Bill" Murray and Oklahoma oil conservation director since 1954, died a short time after he was taken to the hospital following a cerebral hemorrhage. His father, the state's ninth governor, died Oct. 15, 1956, at the age of 86.
As a youthful national guard officer, Massena Murray had a part in one of the most colorful incidents of his father's stormy term as governor.
Massena Called Out
In 1931, the elder Murray ordered the state's oil fields closed because of drastic drops in oil prices. To enforce the order, the governor placed the oil fields under martial law, calling out the state's guard units for patrol duty.
Massena, then a lieutenant in the guard, was among those called. He later was promoted to captain and for a time was in command of the oilfield patrol during the absence from the state of the governor's cousin, Col. Cicero Murray.
Massena Murray joined the Oklahoma Corporation Commission staff in April 1933 when the state proration department was by his father, who was then governor. He became assistant conservation officer in charge of field operations in 1947, when the conservation department was organized.
Promotion Comes in 1954
Following the resignation of Walker T. Pound, the corporation commission named him conservation director in July, 1954.
Before joining the corporation commission, Murray had worked for an oilmen's conservation committee as well as private oil companies. He also had worked for about six years in Boliva.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday in St. Luke's Methodist Church. Burial will be at 3 p.m. Tuesday in Tishomingo Cemetery under direction of Watts Funeral Home.
Survivors include his wife, Frankie; two brothers, Johnston Murray, who also was governor of the state, and Burbank, Milwaukee, and a sister, Miss Jean Murray, Norman.
Published in The Oklahoman Sept 11, 1961
Massena Murray Dies at Age of 61
Massena B. Murray, 61, eldest son of former governor William H. "Alfalfa Bill" Murray, died Sunday in St. Anthony Hospital after a cerebral hemorrhage.
Murray, Oklahoma's oil Conservation director since 1954, was taken to the hospital only a short time before his death.
Survivors include his wife, Frankie; two brothers, Johnston Murray, who was governor from 1952 to 1956 and now is an Oklahoma City attorney, and Burbank, Milwaukee, and a sister, Miss Jean Murray, Norman.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday in St. Luke's Methodist Church. Burial will be at 3 p.m. Tuesday in Tishomingo Cemetery.
Death Closes Career of Son to 'Alfalfa Bill'
Massena B. Murray, 61, eldest son of one of the state's most colorful governors, died Sunday in St. Anthony Hospital.
Murray, 512 NW 17, the son of William H. "Alfalfa Bill" Murray and Oklahoma oil conservation director since 1954, died a short time after he was taken to the hospital following a cerebral hemorrhage. His father, the state's ninth governor, died Oct. 15, 1956, at the age of 86.
As a youthful national guard officer, Massena Murray had a part in one of the most colorful incidents of his father's stormy term as governor.
Massena Called Out
In 1931, the elder Murray ordered the state's oil fields closed because of drastic drops in oil prices. To enforce the order, the governor placed the oil fields under martial law, calling out the state's guard units for patrol duty.
Massena, then a lieutenant in the guard, was among those called. He later was promoted to captain and for a time was in command of the oilfield patrol during the absence from the state of the governor's cousin, Col. Cicero Murray.
Massena Murray joined the Oklahoma Corporation Commission staff in April 1933 when the state proration department was by his father, who was then governor. He became assistant conservation officer in charge of field operations in 1947, when the conservation department was organized.
Promotion Comes in 1954
Following the resignation of Walker T. Pound, the corporation commission named him conservation director in July, 1954.
Before joining the corporation commission, Murray had worked for an oilmen's conservation committee as well as private oil companies. He also had worked for about six years in Boliva.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday in St. Luke's Methodist Church. Burial will be at 3 p.m. Tuesday in Tishomingo Cemetery under direction of Watts Funeral Home.
Survivors include his wife, Frankie; two brothers, Johnston Murray, who also was governor of the state, and Burbank, Milwaukee, and a sister, Miss Jean Murray, Norman.
Published in The Oklahoman Sept 11, 1961
Massena B. Murray, 61, eldest son of former governor William H. "Alfalfa Bill" Murray, died Sunday in St. Anthony Hospital after a cerebral hemorrhage.
Murray, Oklahoma's oil Conservation director since 1954, was taken to the hospital only a short time before his death.
Survivors include his wife, Frankie; two brothers, Johnston Murray, who was governor from 1952 to 1956 and now is an Oklahoma City attorney, and Burbank, Milwaukee, and a sister, Miss Jean Murray, Norman.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday in St. Luke's Methodist Church. Burial will be at 3 p.m. Tuesday in Tishomingo Cemetery.
Death Closes Career of Son to 'Alfalfa Bill'
Massena B. Murray, 61, eldest son of one of the state's most colorful governors, died Sunday in St. Anthony Hospital.
Murray, 512 NW 17, the son of William H. "Alfalfa Bill" Murray and Oklahoma oil conservation director since 1954, died a short time after he was taken to the hospital following a cerebral hemorrhage. His father, the state's ninth governor, died Oct. 15, 1956, at the age of 86.
As a youthful national guard officer, Massena Murray had a part in one of the most colorful incidents of his father's stormy term as governor.
Massena Called Out
In 1931, the elder Murray ordered the state's oil fields closed because of drastic drops in oil prices. To enforce the order, the governor placed the oil fields under martial law, calling out the state's guard units for patrol duty.
Massena, then a lieutenant in the guard, was among those called. He later was promoted to captain and for a time was in command of the oilfield patrol during the absence from the state of the governor's cousin, Col. Cicero Murray.
Massena Murray joined the Oklahoma Corporation Commission staff in April 1933 when the state proration department was by his father, who was then governor. He became assistant conservation officer in charge of field operations in 1947, when the conservation department was organized.
Promotion Comes in 1954
Following the resignation of Walker T. Pound, the corporation commission named him conservation director in July, 1954.
Before joining the corporation commission, Murray had worked for an oilmen's conservation committee as well as private oil companies. He also had worked for about six years in Boliva.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday in St. Luke's Methodist Church. Burial will be at 3 p.m. Tuesday in Tishomingo Cemetery under direction of Watts Funeral Home.
Survivors include his wife, Frankie; two brothers, Johnston Murray, who also was governor of the state, and Burbank, Milwaukee, and a sister, Miss Jean Murray, Norman.
Published in The Oklahoman Sept 11, 1961
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