John W. Murbach's Obituary
John Murbach Obituary
John W. Murbach, 92, of Elyria died June 24, 2015 at Wesleyan Village in Elyria following a brief illness. Born November 20, 1922 in Elyria, the son of Ralph and Ellen (nee Whitehouse) Murbach, he was a lifelong Elyria resident. John graduated from University School, Hunting Valley, Ohio in 1940. The dame year, he enrolled in the engineering school at Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois. During his five year coop course, he worked at Wright Aeronautical in Cincinnati and Ridge Tool Company in Elyria. Johns fraternity brother at Northwestern was the legendary Cleveland Browns quarterback Otto Graham. John was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II. While at Northwestern University, he joined the United States Naval ROTC and in the summer of 1942, he participated in naval cruises on the USS Dover in Lake Michigan. In January 1944, John was commissioned an Ensign assigned to the USS Brazos AO-4 (Oiler) ship and spent two years as a Division Officer and Navigator. His tour of duty included the Aleutians, Philippines and he was in the first wave to go into Okinawa, arriving in Japan in 1945. He enjoyed showing guests his original navigation charts hanging on the walls in his recreation room. While attending Northwestern University, John met his future wife Marilyn Perry Peregrine of Chicago, Oak Park The future Mrs. Murbach traveled by train from Chicago to Seattle, where they were married August 24, 1944.After his discharge from active duty in 1946, John returned to Elyria with his bride to become the third generation to work in the family business, Murbach Coal and Supply Company, established in 1885. From 1964 to 1985, John served as president of Murbach Coal and Supply Company and from 1985 to 1995, was Chairman of the Board of Murbach, Inc., comprised of Murbach Building Supplies, Murbach Do-it Center and The Brickyard.John was a lifetime member of the First Congregational Church, Elyria and a former Trustee and Deacon. John Murbach was a civic minded and philanthropic individual. He joined the Rotary Club of Elyria in 1954 and served as president from 1959-1960. As a Rotarian, he was a Paul Harris Fellow and a major donor to The Rotary Foundation. John and his wife Perry attended several Rotary International Conventions in the United States and other countries. From 1952 to 1970, he was a trustee for the Elyria YMCA and President from 1961-62. He was also the Building Chairman for the Elyria YMCA and Chair for the Swimming Pool Committee at Camp Iss-See-Kes, in Vermilion. Along with his father, Ralph Murbach, they endowed the athletic fields at Camp Iss-See-Kes. John was a Director of the Elyria Community Chest 1962-1964 and their president in 1964. He was a member of the Elyria Memorial Hospital Company and served on its Property Committee. After the passing of their son, Mr. and Mrs. Murbach established the John Jeffery Murbach Theatre Scholarship through the Lorain County Community College Foundation.John Murbach was a director of Savings Deposit Trust Bank and First National Bank of Elyria that later became National City Bank and now is PNC. He was a Director for the B-C Land Company. An avid golfer and tennis player, he was a longtime member of Elyria Country Club and served on the board of directors from 1981-83. While tennis, hand ball and racquetball were his favorite sports, he continued to play golf until the age of 91. Family was an integral part of John and Perry Murbachs lives. They relished gatherings with their children and families at holidays and whenever possible. They had many joyous occasions when extended family members reunited at their summer home on Crystal Lake in Frankfort, Michigan. Grandchildren, nieces, and nephews fondly referred to John as Grampa Boom Boom looking forward each year to Johns enthusiastic celebration of July 4th at Crystal Lake. John and Perry had a passion for traveling and visited nearly every state with an emphasis on National Parks. Their open mindedness and all accepting tolerances were formed from experiencing various cultures. Some of their trips included, Great Britain, Greece, Italy, countries in Europe, Egypt. Iran, the Caribbean, Jamaica, Morocco, Israel, Jordan, Turkey, and Nairobi. One of their favorite trips was traveling on the vintage and mystical Venice Simplon-Orient-Express (VSOE). Mr. Murbach is survived by a sister Molly Murbach Chapman of Toledo, Ohio; daughters, Susan Murbach (James) Hunt of Vermilion, Jane Murbach (Thomas) Stanley of Columbus, and Molly Murbach of Frankfort, Michigan; grandchildren, Shawna (Al) Stacey, Jonathan Stanley, Tyler (Amy) Hunt, Adam Stanley, Erin Stanley and Vanessa Travis; great grandchildren Calder Stanley, Ray Stanley, John Hunt, Joey Seliga, Alexa Seliga, Vanessa Stacey, Sophia Travis and Alana Stacey. He is preceded in death by his wife of 61 years, Ruth Marilyn Perry Murbach (nee Peregrine) in 2005, son John Jeffery Murbach in 2000, parents Ralph and Ellen Murbach, and sisters Madge Wells and Ann Schmittgen.Friends will be received Thursday, July 2, 2015 from 4 to 7 p.m. at Dicken Funeral Home and Cremation Service, 323 Middle Ave., Elyria. A service will be Friday, July 3, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. at First Congregational United Church of Christ, 330 Second St., Elyria, with reverend Patrick Nicolino and Reverend Kathryn Ketchum officiating. Burial will be in Brookdale Cemetery, Elyria where Elyria V.F.W. #1079 will present military honors.In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Elyria Rotary Club Endowment Fund for their Centennial Playground project for Children of Handicap, P.O. Box 627, Elyria, Ohio 44036. For online condolences, visit www.dickenfuneralhome.com
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