Richard Murden

BONHAM, Texas - Funeral services for Richard D. Murden, 74, of Bonham will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, June 17, 2015 in Wise Funeral Home Chapel. Pastor Rick Edwards, Stephen Murden and Mark Posey will officiate. Burial will follow in Willow Wild Cemetery. Richard passed away Sunday afternoon at Carrus Specialty Hospital in Sherman.

Richard was born February 11, 1941 in Harlingen, Texas, the son of Albert O. Murden and Lena Irene Coonrod Murden. He was a 1959 graduate of Edcouch-Elsa High School and attended Baylor University. Richard was later a graduate of Commonwealth Institute of Funeral Science in Houston.

He grew up working in his Dad's machine shop and was instrumental in the day to day operation of Texas Plastics. He managed a group of funeral homes in Corpus Christi before moving to Bonham in 1986. Richard and his son Stephen purchased Wise Funeral Home in 1993.

He was a longtime dedicated funeral director. He was a former member and past president of the Bonham Rotary Club. Richard had a passion for reading and studying different philosophies and wrote and published a book. He loved flying and enjoyed sponsoring and attending the Festival of Flight at Jones Field in Bonham.

His son, Stephen, took him on his final flight shortly before his last illness. Richard loved his family and was generous to a fault. He was preceded in death by his parents.

Richard is survived by former wife, mother of his children and lifelong friend, Margaret Bode of Delta Lake, Texas; sons Dale Murden (Cyndie) of Harlingen and Stephen Murden (Staci) of Bonham; daughter Gina Lee Murden of the Hill Country, Texas; brother Gerald Murden (Beverly) of Weslaco, Texas; grandchildren Ryan Murden (girlfriend, Brittany and mother, Vickie) of San Antonio, Texas, Sebastian Murden and Meagan Murden of Bonham, and Gracelyn Faith "Gracie" Seale of Kerrville, Texas; dearest friend and longtime office manager Regina Goodwin; Wise Funeral Home employees Mark Posey, Pat Zamagni, Jennifer Jacobs and Mike Burt; nieces; nephews; extended family; and friends.

Pallbearers will be past and present employees of Wise Funeral Home. Honorary pallbearers will be Jerry Robinson, John Tayloe, Dallas Coonrod, Tommy Nunn, Rex Nunn, Harold Nunn, Danny Joe Coonrod, extended family and friends.

Memorials may be made to the Bonham Special Olympics, 321 S. 2nd St., Bonham, Texas 75418 or the Texas Lions Camp, P. O. Box 290247, Kerrville, Texas 78029. The family will receive friends at Wise Funeral Home from 6:00 to 8:00 pm, Tuesday night. Online guest register www.wisefuneralhome.com