Myrteil Murray

Myrteil "Lee" Murray, 95, of Brenham, Texas passed away on June 20, 2024. She was born September 24, 1928 to John Hendrick McPhail and Myrteil Towns McPhail in Houston, Texas.

Myrteil earned a B.A. in Sociology/Psychology from Mary Hardin Baylor. She was VP of her Senior Class, President of the Young Women's Auxiliary and Member of the Royal Academia Literary Society. Upon graduating in 1951, Myrteil packed up her car and drove to California to study the Bible with the Navigators.

She moved back to Houston after 4 years and married Benjamin McNeil Murray on Christmas Day 1955. They had two daughters, Holly Ann Murray Durrenberger and Julie Gayle Murray Peeler.

Myrteil was an Elementary school teacher at Lovett Elementary and Ed White Elementary in Houston Texas for 40 years. She loved teaching Texas History. One year she started her students on a pen pal friendship with the "Keeper of the Flame" of the Statue of Liberty, Charles De Leo. He gifted the school with an American flag that had flown at the Statue of Liberty and when hung it took up the entire back wall of the school auditorium/cafeteria.

Myrteil retired from teaching and moved to Round Top, Texas, where she renovated an old farmhouse and lived for 18 years. Houses were her passion, and she revived several old homes in Brenham, eventually moving there.

Myrteil had a deep love for her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and was a lifelong student of the Bible.

She loved her family and she lived with Julie for four months before she went home to be with the Lord. They had an amazing time, laughing and playing games, which she often won, then texted Holly to gloat. She was such a fierce, fun, free spirited, ever-patriotic mom. She loved her many friends who call themselves "The Butterflies."

Surviving are her daughters Holly Ann Murray Durrenberger and husband Randy of Cypress, Texas and Julie Gayle Murray Peeler of Brenham, Texas, Grandchildren, Katie Anne Durrenberger and Brett Mitchell Durrenberger of Cypress, Texas.

She was preceded in death by her mother Myrteil Towns McPhail and brothers Joe Lynn McPhail and James Hendrick McPhail.

The funeral will be at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday June 26, 2024, at Memorial Oaks Chapel, Brenham, followed by a reception in the Lobby. Interment will be at 4:00 p.m. in Prairie Lea Cemetery.

We are grateful to her hospice team who kept her comfortable during her short illness.

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Memorial Oaks Chapel, 1306 West Main St., Brenham. To post a tribute to the family, please visit www.memorialoakschapel.com