Obituary of John Stuart McMurray

MD Anderson researcher, John Stuart McMurray, Ph.D., 62, of Erie, Pennsylvania, died March 28, 2017. after long struggle against glioblastoma multiforme brain cancer. Dr. McMurray served as an Associate Professor in the Department of Experimental Therapeutics, Division of Cancer Medicine, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center for the past 28 years. He specialized in protein-protein interaction inhibitors, drug design, peptides, organic chemistry, published over 170 academic papers and was a worldwide lecturer. At MD Anderson, he served on the Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate, was head of the NMR facility and worked hard to bring insitutes of higher learning and research together in collaborative efforts. Dr. McMurray was born January 3, 1955 in Erie Pennsylvania to Mary and Willam McMurray. He earned his biochemistry degree from The Pennsylvania State University in 1977 and a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from The University of Houston in 1984. He received the American Asthma Foundation Senior Investigator Award from the American Asthma Foundation in 2011, among many other recognitions during his long and productive career. John was also a gifted musician who played several instruments and sung in his church choir. He is survived by his loving family - wife, Audrey Beust McMurray and three children, John Stuart McMurray, Jr. and wife Nicole, MaryCarmen McMurray and Christian James McMurray, two children considered family, Daniel Creamer and wife Rachel, and Tara Heath Duran and husband Ben, as well as seven brothers and sisters, Tom McMurray and wife Marji, Betsy McMurray Coblentz and husband Bill, Mary McMurray Hersey and husband Rick, Donald McMurray and wife Patty, Charles McMurray and wife Marcia, David McMurray, and Jane McMurray Turek and husband Jim, plus many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews, and two baby boys who called him Grandfather. He is preceded in death by his parents and older brother, James Robert McMurray. In memory of John McMurray, contributions may be made to MD Anderson Cancer Center, P.O. Box 4486, Houston, TX 77210-4486 or <a href="http://www.mdanderson.org/gifts">www.mdanderson.org/gifts</a> with the notation that the donations are to go to the Department of Experimental Therapeutics.