Thomas "Tom" Whitelaw Murrey

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Thomas “Tom” Whitelaw Murrey, Sr., was born September 18, 1929 in Little Rock, Arkansas, and died in Jonesboro on January 20, 2016, surrounded by his loving family.

Tom grew up in Jonesboro and was known as “Tommy” as a young man. He loved sports and played football and basketball from junior high through varsity. After excelling in both football and basketball, he graduated from Jonesboro High School in 1947. He then attended the University of Arkansas where he followed in the steps of his father, who had been a star football player for the Razorbacks in 1913-1914. Tom made both the freshman football and freshman basketball teams at Arkansas as a walk-on. Later in college, he played on a semi-pro basketball team that traveled around northwest Arkansas.

While at the University of Arkansas, Tom participated in ROTC. Upon graduation, he joined the Army as a second lieutenant. During his active duty stint, he served as a First Lieutenant for 13 months in Korea during the Korean War, also spending time in Japan on three different occasions. He later served as a Staff Officer with the 196th Field Artillery Battalion of the Tennessee National Guard while living in Memphis.

After his discharge from the Army, Tom moved to Memphis, Tennessee where he was introduced to “the most sensible 22 year old he had ever met” - Betty Joyce McGill. They were married on August 30, 1958 in Memphis where they lived for the next 35 years.
Shortly after moving to Memphis, Tom began working in banking. He eventually became a Senior Commercial Loan Officer and President of a Leasing Company for a Memphis bank. Tom was also an excellent teacher and taught for the American Institute of Banking, the Small Business Administration, and the Continuing Education Department at Memphis State University.

Tom was an outstanding public speaker and was prouder of that than anything he ever did. In 1962, he won the American Institute of Banking Southeast Regional Public Speaking Championship. He won second place twice in regional competition and fourth place once. Over a period of many years, he made some 575 speeches at reunions, banquets, and civic clubs all over the Mid-South area.

Tom was a member of First Baptist Church of Memphis for nearly 40 years, serving as a Deacon, Deacon Body officer, President of the Brotherhood, plus many other positions. After his return to Jonesboro in 1993, he joined the First Baptist Church.

Mr. Murrey was an avid hunter and fisherman all of his life. One of his favorite things in life was his annual pheasant hunting trip to South Dakota, a trip he made for 42 years.

Tom never met a stranger. He was encouraging to all and served as an inspiration to many. His happiest times were when he was surrounded by his family and friends.

He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Betty M. Murrey; son, Thomas W. Murrey, Jr. of Germantown, Tennessee, his wife Amy Boone Murrey their children Joseph and Hannah; son Gavin M. Murrey, of Memphis, his wife Beth Batson Murrey, their children Anna and Gavin Jr.; his sister, Dottie Hargett of Dallas, Texas. He was especially close to his nephew Dr. Jim Murrey and wife Angie of Jonesboro, Arkansas as well as his niece Ann McMillon and husband Curtis of Jackson, MS.

The family would like to send a special thanks to the Doctors, Nurses, and Staff at NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital for the outstanding care given to Tom.

The funeral service will be held at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 26, 2016 at Emerson Funeral Home with Pastor Bruce Venable officiating. Visitation will be prior to the service starting at 2:30 p.m. and the burial will be at West Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 27, 2016.