Albert Carl McMurry

CSM Albert Carl McMurry Sr., USA, Retired

November 24, 1932 ~ January 7, 2026

Albert Carl McMurry, Army veteran, barbecue grill master, and devoted family man,

passed away in peace on Jan. 7, 2026. He was 93.

Born on Thanksgiving day in Geary, Oklahoma, he was the only son of Daisy

Winston, but his grandparents, John Esic and Olie (Muck) Winston, raised him. He

belonged to the New Farmers of America, excelled in football, basketball and

academics, and graduated as the class valedictorian from Douglass High School in

1951. In the summers, he picked cotton to save enough money to attend Langston

University in Langston, Oklahoma. While taking time off from school, he was

drafted into the U.S. Army in 1953.

In the Army, he found purpose, first as a boxer and then later as a leader. He

dedicated himself to his troops' welfare and readiness and achieved the rank of

command sergeant major, the highest level for an enlisted soldier. He served his

country soon after during the Korean War and in the Vietnam War.

After Vietnam, he was stationed in Korea for a second time when he met Sun Cha

Pak through a mutual friend, Okie Hui Kim (Kim). While he was attracted to Sun

Cha, Albert fell in love with her because she was tough. They married on Friday,

Nov. 13, 1970, too eager to wait for the following Monday despite the connotations

of Friday the 13th.

Together they raised Albert McMurry Jr. and Martin McMurry while abroad in

Germany and South Korea before moving to the States in 1981. In 1983 Albert Sr.

retired from the Army after 30 years. He immediately started work on his master's

degree in sociology while working at local restaurants on nights and weekends. He

graduated from Saint Martin's College in Lacey in 1986.

During his second career with the Washington state Employment Security

Department, he continued to look after soldiers, assisting newly separated

veterans with job training and placement. Also at this time, he taught Sunday

school for the local Korean church, educating dozens of children in the teachings

of Jesus Christ for years. Albert was a charter member of the Lacey Presbyterian

Church and joined the Lacey Lamplighters Lion Club, volunteering his time

installing LifeAlert systems for the elderly until he was no longer able.

Albert Sr. could cook a mean mess of ribs, rain or shine. He experimented with

various spice rubs and cooking techniques. When asked for his recipe, he would

often vaguely respond, "Oh, I add some of this and a little of that," specifying

nothing. Besides ribs, his collard greens, fried chicken, turkey stuffing and gravy,

pork chops and chili were staples in the McMurry household.

Albert Sr. loved sports of all kinds, playing football, basketball and boxing as a

youth and supporting the Seattle Mariners and Seattle Seahawks to the chagrin of

his eldest son.

Albert Sr. was preceded in death by his mother, Daisy; his grandparents, Olie and

John; his children Sebastian R.C. McMurry, Theodore (Teddy) Devanulis McMurry,

Carl McMurry, and Deirdre Renee McMurry; and dear friends known to the family

as Aunties and Uncles - Okie Hui Kim (Kim) Bowser, Edvine and Herbert Evans,

and Otha and Peaches Swanigan.

He leaves behind his wife, Sun Cha McMurry; sons, Albert and Martin McMurry

and their wives, Doreen Marchionni and Shelly McMurry; grandchildren, Brandy

McMurry, Maylon and Althea McMurry; sister-in-law Ok Cha Wright; niece, Leah

Wright; nephew Chris Wright; niece Anita Smith; cousin Sherman Cravens; and

dear family friends Olga McClure, Tammie McClure, and Dennis McClure.

Private memorial services will be held at 10 a.m., Tues., Jan. 27, at Woodlawn

Funeral Home in Lacey, Wash.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Washington state Department

of Veterans Affairs - 08V Veterans Stewardship Account - https://www.dva.wa.gov/

donations.