Suzanne Y Murray

Suzanne Young Murray, a life-long advocate for women's education, passed away Nov. 27 on a beautiful morning surrounded by the love of her family at her home in Narragansett. She was 83 years old.
Sue was a loving wife, devoted mother, adoring Nana and a favorite friend whether she was entertaining at her home, working in a board room or competing on the golf course. Her calm presence and positive spirit will be greatly missed.
Sue was welcomed into the world on Christmas Day by her parents, Dr. Daniel D. Young and Pauline Agnes (Gleason) Young in Providence. She was raised with her beloved siblings, Daniel, Paula and Michael, in Providence and Warwick Neck where Sue enjoyed horses and first picked up one of her true passions, the game of golf.
Sue was an accomplished student, first at Henry Barnard School and then at the Lincoln School in Providence. She was a voracious reader, an informed conversationalist, and exceptionally adept at solving crossword puzzles. In 1958 she enrolled at Radcliffe College and continued to thrive academically. In November of her freshman year, she received a phone call from a Harvard freshman named Terrence Murray. He was looking for a ride home to Rhode Island for Thanksgiving. She obliged and a life-long romance was born.
While still students in Cambridge, Sue and Terry were married at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross. They welcomed their first child, Colleen Mary, at the end of their junior year. Sue graduated from Radcliffe in 1962 cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and completed her final exams just two months before the birth of the couple's second child, Paula Ann.
Sue's love and appreciation for women's education, born first at Lincoln School, blossomed at Radcliffe. It remained one of the driving forces for the rest of her life.
The Murrays settled in Providence where Terry began his career and then moved to Governor Francis Farms in Warwick and soon welcomed their sons Terrence Joseph and Christopher Daniel. Their fifth child, Megan Elizabeth, was born after a move to Warwick Neck near Suzanne's childhood home.
While she raised her young family, Sue found time to make lifelong friends. She was a caring, kind woman who greeted you with a smile and made you feel welcome. She also became a coveted partner, and fierce competitor, on the golf course. Throughout her life, Sue was a member at Warwick, Wannamoisett, Point Judith and Newport Country Clubs in Rhode Island and the Everglades Club in Palm Beach, Fla. During the summer of 1987, she achieved the never-to-be-repeated feat of becoming the women's Club Champion at three of her golf clubs.
As her children grew, Sue devoted time to a long list of charitable causes. Her passion for the education of young women dominated much of her attention and she felt fortunate to be able to give back to her alma maters. She served on the Lincoln School Board of Trustees from 1985 to 1998 and was its Chair from 1992 to 1995. She led the school's Alumnae Association from 1981 to 1983, a capital campaign in 2003 and helped select several Heads of School. In 2003, Lincoln named its Middle School the `Murray Middle School' in her honor. She was delighted that her three daughters and two of her granddaughters attended Lincoln School.
Sue also had an impact at Radcliffe as a committed alumna, leader and strong supporter of the school's 1999 merger with Harvard. She served as a trustee of Radcliffe (1993-99), was part of the Dean's Advisory Council, a co-chair of the Campaign for Radcliffe and past president of both the Radcliffe Club and the Harvard-Radcliffe Club of Rhode Island. In 2002, she received the Radcliffe Distinguished Service Award, which honors Radcliffe alumnae who have made outstanding contributions to the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study. In 2005, Sue was honored to accept the Harvard Medal, the highest award that the Harvard Alumni Association can bestow on a graduate.
In 1997, Sue and Terry co-founded the Murray Family Charitable Foundation and for more than 25 years they've supported education, health care and the arts in Southern New England. Sue was especially pleased to continue her focus on young women's education and assisted in the founding of Sophia Academy, a middle school for girls from low-income families. She served on Sophia's board for 14 years and was named a member of Sophia's Athena Society.
Sue was also a member of the board of the United Way of Rhode Island, Dorcas Place, and Trustee of the Massachusetts Eye & Ear Hospital.
Suzanne was the beloved wife for 64 years of Terrence Murray. Loving mother of Colleen Coggins and her husband, Timothy, of Cranston; Paula McNamara and her husband, Kevin, of Rumford; Terry Murray and his wife, Nicole, of Jamaica Plain, Mass.; Christopher and his husband, Rafael Cruz Ribeiro, of New York City; and Megan Craigen and her husband, Joseph, of Wellesley, Mass.
Sue was a loving and proud Nana to Katie Coggins, Maggie McNamara, Joe McNamara, Jamie Murray, Sam Murray, Sadie Murray, Samantha Craigen, Charlie Craigen and Lily Craigen. She also cherished her nieces, nephews and many close friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Daniel and Pauline (Gleason), as well as her sister, Paula Andrew, and brother Michael Young. She is survived by her brother, Daniel, and his wife, Kimberley; brother-in-law Donald Andrew and sister-in-law, Bonnye Young.
A Celebration of Life service will be held on Dec. 21 at 11 a.m. at Shepherd's Run, 4780 Tower Hill Rd., South Kingstown.
In lieu of flowers, gifts may be directed to Lincoln School, 301 Butler Ave., Providence, RI 02906 or Sophia Academy, 582 Elmwood Ave., Providence, RI 02907.