Patricia Anne Murray

Patricia 'Pat' Murray passed away early Monday morning June 29, 2020. She was 84 years old. Pat was born October 12, 1935 in Muskegon, Michigan. Pat and her husband Dr. Alex Murray were founding and active members of St. Catherine of Siena Parish (formerly St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church). She was involved in many ministries through the years including serving as a Eucharistic minister and teaching religious education. Pat graduated from Lyons Township High School in LaGrange, Illinois and the Michigan State University Nursing School. She met Alex at Michigan State and following her graduation from MSU she married Alex on August 17, 1957 at St. Catherine Church in Ravenna, Michigan. They were married for 55 years. After brief stints in Wisconsin and Bad Axe, Michigan where Dr. Murray worked as a veterinarian they moved to Bay City where they owned and operated Tri-City Animal Hospital and raised their family of 4 boys. Pat was a stay-at-home mom providing a wonderful home environment and organizing the activities of her active boys and busy husband. With most of the boys off to school she decided it was time to enter the nursing profession nearly 25 years after graduating from Michigan State. After working several years she and Alex retired and began spending their winters in Arizona. They shared a lifelong passion for all things Michigan State attending home football games and traveling to occasional away games as well as bowl games. Most of all they enjoyed spending time with family and friends, and especially with their grandchildren.
Patricia is survived by her four sons, their spouses and families: Paul and Lezlie of Brentwood, TN and children Sarah (Bill) and Dana; Joseph of Portage, MI and children Haley and Parker; Greg and Lani of Portage, MI and children Ryan (Cheri), Michael (Sarah), Stephanie and Katie (Ray); John and Wendy of Ray, MI and children Charlee, Jack and Jake. Also, 3 great-grandchildren, Olivia, Owen, and Mason. She is also survived by her brother, Leonard (Jan) Spencer and sister, Colleen Fitzpatrick, and sister-in-law Mary Murray, nieces, nephews, cousins and many special friends. She was preceded in death by her husband Alex, her father and mother, Leslie and Anne Spencer, and grandson, Alex Paul Murray. The family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the staff at Bay City Comfort Care, Compassus Hospice and all our special friends, especially caretaker Tamie Bolda, who helped during this difficult time for the kind and compassionate care they extended to our mother and grandmother. The Funeral Liturgy will be celebrated Friday, July 3, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Catherine of Siena Parish. The Celebrant will be Rev. Fr. James Wm. Bessert with interment following in Floral Gardens Cemetery. Visitation will take place at 9:30 a.m. Friday morning before the Funeral Liturgy at St. Catherine of Siena Parish. Memorial contributions in lieu of flowers, may be made to St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church or Juvenile Diabetes, www.JDRF.org . Memorial cards will be available at the church.