RoseMarie "Rori" Murrell

Murrell, RoseMarie "Rori" (Struczewski)
A lifetime resident of Rochester, NY who exemplified the meaning of "Selfless Service." A woman of tremendous faith. She will always be remembered for her devotion to the Lord, her family, her nation, and "her" Veterans and they were "ALL" her veterans.
Aged 87, Rori is survived by two sisters, Laurie (Chuck} Vullo and Diane Barnes; nephews; Daniel Bornt, Jason Barnes, Mathew (Brittany) Barnes, Jeremy Barnes, and Mark (Michelle) Struczewski; neice:, DenaMarie Barnes; and Shalom – her loving dog. She was predeceased by her loving husband, Donald Murrell; brother, Edjiu Struczewski and her parents.
A gifted pianist and dancer, Rori graduated from Nazareth Academy in 1955. That same year, she enlisted in the US Army as a Cold War Intelligence Specialist and quickly earned the rank of Specialist 5 (Non-commissioned Officer.) It was during her active service at Ft. McClellan, AL that Rori was exposed to chemical and biological contamination causing severe health concerns for the remainder of her life. After her Honorable Discharge, she earned a BS in Social Work at Drake University and dreamed of becoming a career officer in the US Air Force. She was prevented from continuing in the military due to illnesses. Instead, Rori earned a Master of Social Work degree at Syracuse University. Her emphasis was on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatment.
In 1967, she married Donald Murrell – a Mensa and Army Veteran.
In 1973, Rori became one of the founders of Rochester's Veterans Outreach Center. There, she served as the lead trauma therapist for 19 years until therapy was discontinued. She then worked as a therapist at the Rochester VA Outpatient Clinic for an additional 19 years. She treated veterans and their families from all eras, but she was particularly fond of service members of the Vietnam Generation. She was a member of Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 20, inspiration for the Don and Rori Murrell Humanitarian of the Year Award, 30-year volunteer at Our Lady of Lourds Catholic Church, Member of OSHER at RIT, Lifespan Hospice volunteer, Rochester Veterans Writing Group, Polish American Club, International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, and lifelong supporter of horses, dogs and other distressed animals. She always put charities at the top of her list – even when the budget was tight.
Rori's book collection numbered in the thousands. Each room in her home was filled with books – all of which she read and remembered most of the contents. With this knowledge, she could talk about nearly every topic. Her family, clients, veterans, and home guests were ALWAYS the most important people to her.
With a dream in her eyes, Rori would often reminisce about sharing a drink while sitting on the front porch at the Glen Iris Inn at Letchworth State Park or listening to a lecture with her husband at Chautauqua Institution.
A Memorial Mass will be held on January 22, 2025, at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, 1460 Ridge Road Webster, NY 14580 at 10:30 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations in Rori's name can be made to; Lollipop Farm or Honor Flight Rochester.