Obituaries

Daniel Douglas Murray was born May 10, 1928 in Holdenville, Oklahoma. He was the youngest of 5 children and the last in his family to leave this world on January 29, 2023, where he resided in Sherman, Texas. Dan passed away due to complications resulting from a stroke. He is preceded in death by his brothers; Wayne Murray, Bill Murray, Jean Murray and his sister Irene Crabtree.

Dan grew up in Holdenville and Yeager, Oklahoma, but moved to Montana for work in 1952 with his new wife Marquieta. They then moved to California with their three daughters in 1959, where they had a fourth daughter. Many years later, after Dan’s divorce, his love life came full circle when he was reunited with his high school sweetheart (Billie Kathryn Shores) in 1997, at their class reunion in Holdenville. Dan then moved Billie from her home in Holdenville to his in California and they married shortly after.

Dan often said throughout his life “why me lord” since he felt his life was blessed beyond reason. Dan accomplished something he always dreamed of doing and that was being able to design, develop, and own his own golf course. That golf course was Sierra La Verne in La Verne, California. Prior, Dan had designed and developed other golf courses throughout his life as well. There was a period in his life where he maintained being a scratch golfer and played in 3 National Senior US Open Tournaments.

In 2002, at the age of 74, Dan was given the opportunity to develop an 18-hole golf course in Sherman, Texas designed by Cal Olson. Dan and his wife packed up their lives and made the moved from California to Sherman. Dan completed the building of the “Stone Creek Golf Course” in Sherman and since Dan and Billie loved the city so much, they decided to make it their permanent residence. Dan’s sharp mind and dynamic personality will be greatly missed by many.

He is survived by his wife (Billie Kathryn Murray), his four daughters (Danita Murray, Darla Murray, Linda Miller and Lynette Morgan), 3 granddaughters (Hayley Miller, Keri Alexander, & Jessie Mendoza), and five great-grandchildren (Roman & Trey Pedroza, Maverick & Dixie Cobb, and Banks Alexander). Memorial Services will be held at Holdenville Cemetery, Saturday February 25th at 11:00 am where his ashes will be placed to rest.