Murray L. Smith

MURRAY LLOYD SMITH

OCTOBER 3, 1935-APRIL 20, 2021

Murray was born in Chicago to Canadian parents.  The first nine years of his life were spent with his mother as she and his father taught at different universities while they worked to pay back loans they had taken to complete their education.  Murray and his mother lived in California, Texas, Kansas, New York, Wisconsin until finally his father found “The Place” at Oregon State University.  So, at almost 10 years of age, Murray and his family put down roots in Corvallis, Oregon. 

He graduated from high school at 16, claiming it was boring and he started classes at Oregon State.  After trying out several majors including range management because he liked to ride horses (which he discovered was not a good reason), he decided that architecture was what he wanted to do.  His mother said he got his interest in architecture from spending his first nine months under her drafting table.  Murray took all the courses he could toward a degree, transferred to the University of Oregon for the rest of his requirements and graduated in 1959.  In 1967 he obtained his license and met the love of his life, his wife, Linda.  They enjoyed 50 plus years together.

He worked for a local architectural firm for many years, designing schools and commercial buildings.  But, his pride and joy was when he designed his parent’s house in 1959 before he had his license.  Soon, he and Linda decided to move east to Washington, DC.  She to work for EPA and him to work with several architectural and construction firms, mostly serving as project manager.  He was most proud of his involvement in the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.  “That is the kind of project that comes along once in a lifetime,” he would say.

Murray enjoyed flying and had a private pilot rating.  Linda got her rating and together they enjoyed joint flying trips around the Willamette Valley.  He enjoyed skiing and this led to lots of weekends in the Cascades where he and Linda would take turns to see who could get down the hill first.  He always won.   Murray loved traveling.  He and Linda visited many locations in Europe and the Caribbean.  Several times these included skiing.  And, because he was also an avid photographer and videographer, many of their trips were recorded in movies.  He made sure to get ‘everything’ that moved.

Murray had a real talent for organization.  He was active in maintaining his home and yard and documented everything he planted in a reference book to show the plants, locations, and date.   He liked to apply his construction skills and built his own fence and re-roofed the house and storage building much to Linda’s chagrin.  She expected him to pitch off the steep roof, but he stuck on and finished the roof.

He was a special guy, who could be difficult because he was a perfectionist and wanted it done right.  He was noted for helping people work through processes unfamiliar to them, he always had time to talk about politics and news events, and the wonderful life he had.  But, most of all he was a loyal and loving husband who loved his wife and their dog, Shaunti.  His unconditional love and support will be missed.