Murray Nixon Sr.

Murray Leon Nixon Sr. EDENTON - Murray Leon Nixon Sr., 74, of the 3000 block of Rocky Hock Road, died Friday, Aug. 14, 2009, in his home. Mr. Nixon was the son of the late Mary Nixon and Joel Cecil Nixon. Mr. Nixon always donated, no matter the situation; he always seemed to put others before himself. He was a member of the North Carolina Fisheries Association, the Albemarle Sound Action Program, and Albemarle Pamlico Estuarine Study. In October 1987, Gov. Martin appointed him to the North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission Board, and in 1989 he was reappointed for four more years. He was a lifetime member of Rocky Hock Baptist Church, a member of the Carey Evans Sunday school class, and a member of the Chowan County Sheriff Association. Murray was a member of Oak Grove Hunting Club for many years and hunting master until 1990 and was honored as the 2006 Sportsman of the Year. He was also a member of Center Hill Hunting Club since 1988 and Cisco Hunting Club since 1987. He served our country as a member of the United States Army during the Korean War and was a member of American Legion Post 40. Murray was a member of the United States Chamber of Commerce and the Chowan County Chamber of Commerce. The chamber named him as Business Man of the Year in 2007. He was a member of the NRA and was a North Carolina Lifetime Sportsman. Mr. Nixon served in the Rocky Hock Ruritans from 1987 to 1995. During this time, he was on the Board of Directors for three years and was named Ruritan of the Year in 1990. He was a North Carolina Farm Bureau Member and served on the Executors Board of Directors for the Center Hill Fire Dept. He enjoyed retirement so much, so in 1995 he established another milestone here in Rocky Hock, Nixon Family Restaurant Inc. His motto here is "Where you are treated like family." He opened the doors every morning, Tuesday through Saturday between 4 to 4:30 a.m., to feed his early risers, thus giving 35 more jobs to our community. Mr. Nixon is survived by his wife, Ruby B. Nixon of the home; his six children, Murray Leon Nixon Jr. and his wife Charlotte, Jimmy Nixon and his wife Pattie, Louis Nixon and his wife Dianne, Ricky Nixon and his wife Denise, Lynda Harrell and her husband Ronnie, all of Edenton, and Lisa Nixon Quinn and her husband John "Jack" of Elizabeth City; four brothers, Thomas Nixon Sr. and his wife Jeanette, W. Earl Nixon and his wife Aby, J.C. Nixon Jr. and his wife Lois, and Leroy Nixon, all of Edenton; three sisters, Ada Butler and her husband Colon of Edenton, Mary Lou Redden of Chesapeake and Frances Layden and her husband Larry of Edenton; 20 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. Mr. Nixon was preceded in death by his first wife, Marian White Nixon; his brother, Louis Jesse Nixon; and his great-granddaughter, Haley Nixon. A celebration of Mr. Nixon's life will be held at 5 p.m. today, Aug. 16, in Rocky Hock Baptist Church with Dr. James Horton, the Rev. Tracy Smith and the Rev. Gene Asbell officiating. Burial will follow in Nixon's family cemetery. The family received friends at the funeral home Saturday, Aug. 15, from 6 to 8:30 p.m., and at their home at other times. Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society, c/o Robert S. Harrell, 1601 Virginia Road, Edenton, NC 27932, Rocky Hock Baptist Church, 113 Rocky Hock Church Road, Edenton, NC 27932, or to Albemarle Hospice, P.O. Box 189, Elizabeth City, NC 27907. Evans Funerals and Cremations of Edenton is serving the Nixon family. Friends may send online condolences by visiting www.evansfac.com.