Benjamin Freeman, JR

Simply Remembered Cremation Care

Kelly Miles Patterson 

Cremation Center of Kansas City

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Obituary

John Edwin McMurray died August 27, 2021, in Fort Collins. He was born January 10, 1940, in Cullman, Alabama to Jack and Exie McMurray. They soon moved to Texas, and John grew up primarily in Beaumont. He had an older sister, Jane, who encouraged his creativity. He was part of a big family of close cousins. 

John loved being a drummer, and he was good at it. He played in bands around Houston and Austin. He was a consummate soundman. He handled sound on a film crew at NASA for the Apollo moon flights. For the final 12 years of his career, he ran the sound in the Texas House of Representatives. In the latter position he ran sound in the House for the first 11 Texas Book Festivals, doing his best for George H. W. Bush, Barack Obama and Bill Clinton. He ran the feed to the networks the night George W. Bush accepted the presidential nomination. 

He started in radio as an on-air person, a voice talent and a producer. After helping start the station at Lamar University, he worked in radio in Beaumont, Houston and Austin. Many listeners knew him as Mad John, a reference to the Donavan song. 

John and Mary Kay Knief married in Austin on October 26, 1991. They were together for 33 years. John always talked about how much he loved Mary Kay  and their cats. They moved to Fort Collins in 2010 after they both retired. 

If you are so inclined, contributions may be made to Dementia Together, 1540 Main Street, Suite 218, Windsor, CO 80550.

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John McMurray Obituary | Altogether