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DOUGLAS MURRAY Obituary

MURRAY--Douglas P. Died on April 19 in New York City at age 84, mourned by his wife Peggy Blumenthal, daughter Gwyn Firth Murray, and grandchildren Laila and Oscar Murray Volpe. Born in Tenafly, NJ, he received his BA from Yale and PhD from Stanford, and spent his long career strengthening US-Asia relations, first teaching in HK through Yale-China, then heading The Asia Foundation's Singapore Office, later as Vice President of the EastWest Center and President of the National Committee on US-China Relations, China Institute and Lingnan Foundation. A lover of nature and wildlife, he spent many happy years walking the woods in the California Sierra, Grafton Vermont, the Tenafly Nature Center and Central Park. No memorial plans at present.

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Published by New York Times on Apr. 20, 2020.

Memories and Condolences
for DOUGLAS MURRAY

21 Entries

Peggy Blumenthal

April 14, 2025

Thanks to all Doug's friends and neighbors who enriched his life and mine every day. Your vivid memories of Doug mean that he still lives on in spirit. And in my heart as well.

Jane Permaul

April 16, 2024

Let him rest in peace.

Tom Gallione

April 14, 2024

I have recently been able to spend an enormous amount of time working in 28 Norman Place again. Doug´s childhood home and a home he was fond of. I am happy to report that repairs and renovations continue. The property and care has been kept natural the way Doug had it. New windows installed one by one recently in the traditional 1902 style.
My sons and i still refer to 28 as Doug´s house. He is thought of and mentioned often. He would be happy that i kept the house up and happy to see it restored slowly and steadily.
His neighbors. Tom Max Nate

Shigeki Komori

May 2, 2020

This week I got very sad news from Peggy-san that Doug-san had passed away. It was very shocking to me even if she had advised me earlier that he was not well. The information reminded me of all good and happy memories with him in rapid succession. I met him only three times in our life, but he was always with me and my wife. I met him in Russia in September 2001. He was on the way back from a meeting in China and I was on a research trip to support our Russian colleagues, WWF Russia. We happened to be on an Amur cruising boat. When all passengers moved to small boats for excursion of shallow lake connected with the river, we happened to be in the same boat. But it ran aground to a shallow and muddy place. First I volunteered to push it back but it did not move at all. Then Doug-san joined me, and we successfully get the boat out of the trouble. On the back to Khabarovsk, TV repeatedly reported the worst crime in history. He worried about Peggy-san so much. He repeatedly tried to reach her but could not make it. It happened at a location where she sometimes visited for lunch. Only relief was it broke out too early for lunch. After taking off the boat at Khabarovsk, the American group moved to Vladivostok and I flew back to Japan. Later Doug-san let me know by email that Peggy-san was all right. It was a great relief. The second meeting was in Galapagos. I was seconded to there for two years between April 2004 and 2006. When I let him know my assignment, he said that he surely would come visit me. It was December 2005 when it came true. My wife and I welcomed him and Peggy-san at a landing spot within the Galapagos National Park office to which I was seconded. We enjoyed the highland to see Galapagos tortoises and finches in the day time and visited their boat at night for amusement show. The third one was in October 2009. We visited them in New York City. It was a great and fun trip. We enjoyed the city so much, particularly fascinating was the balcony of their house. Looking down the reservoir of the Central Park, we had meal. Then we moved to North Carolina where other longtime friends lived. There were our direct meetings but of course, we continued to communicate via email, Christmas cards, etc. Doug-san, thank you so much for your long-time friendship. We will never forget it.

Carol Fleming

April 30, 2020

My thoughts are with Peggy, Gwyn & Doug,s family at this sad time. I had the pleasure of meeting Doug several years ago through his adopted gibbon daughter Sam/Sabina when I looked after her at Twycross Zoo, U.K. Since then we have met up every couple of years on Doug & Peggy,s trips to the U.K. and once on a visit to New York. I will miss those meetings. Such a lovely, kind & gentle man with a passion for wildlife, sadly missed.

David Wall

April 27, 2020

Doug loved growing up in Tenafly, NJ and held onto, and used, his parental, 1920's home there. He recalled his mother entertaining friends in the octagonal (or was it six- sided) dining room, the tall cedar giving shade to the front porch, the very long backyard for play. The local historic commission and community will miss all of his knowledge and support.

Thomas Gallione

April 25, 2020

Doug has been a man I have always admired and looked up to. A great neighbor to three generations of my family. He will be fondly remembered every day.
Thomas Gallione

Hugo Liepmann

April 23, 2020

I hold fond memories of Doug: insightful, positive, humored, and happy trumpet musician, to name a few. He was a strong and caring voice in Vermont Coverts.

Bob Lloyd

April 23, 2020

Doug was a stalwart Vermont Coverts Cooperator, passionate upporter of wildlife, always ready to step forward and help when help was needed. An eloquent writer of commendations, a skillful administrator, always a gentle man.

Doug Switzer

April 23, 2020

Doug was a person who earned a high degree of respect.

April 23, 2020

Doug was a person who deserved much respect.

Doug Switzer

Richard Desrochers

April 22, 2020

I just lost a good friend

Ken Olenik

April 21, 2020

What a pleasure it has been over these years to see Doug and Peggy at the EWC meetings. I will miss him and his friendly real concern. Ken Olenik

Evelyn Huang

April 20, 2020

Doug was there when I first joined the American Museum of Natural History's birdwatching walks more than ten years ago, and he was very patient with an ignorant newcomer and always welcoming, courteous and good company. He was one of those people you always look forward to seeing, and who is always a pleasure to be with. In recent years I've missed him at the AMNH walks and always hoped he was well. His loss is a sad and grievous loss to everyone who ever had the privilege of interacting with him.

Charles Morrison

April 20, 2020

My deepest condolences to Peggy and all of Doug's family members. I met Doug first when he came to Honolulu as a vice president of the East-West Center, and was my boss there. He was a man of inspiring ideals, vision, and energy, and even when he was older, his infectious enthusiasm never dimmed. Although a relatively short time at the Center, his influence remains today emphases on culture and the arts, the environment, development, and policy relevance. He was an active member of the New York alumni chapter. Doug was extraordinarily conscientious, working long hours, pondering choices, and seeking to attract the best people to our work. Some time ago, I came across the then almost 35-year-old text of a semi-roast that I prepared for his Center retirement, paying tribute to the grandeur of his vision but poking fun at the piles of work always accumulating on his desk. I don't think I ever had the experience of another boss who became such a close and dear friend and with whom I interacted as naturally as a peer. Doug Murray was in every fiber of his being a gentleman and a scholar, and to me a dear and valued soul, whose departure at age 84 seems much before its appropriate time. Many friends in Hawaii, my wife Chieko, and I will miss him.

Bill Armbruster

April 20, 2020

I always enjoyed seeing Doug at East-West Center alumni gatherings and at National Committee on US-China Relations events. I'll always be grateful to him for recommending me for membership in the National Committee. My condolences to Peggy, Gwyn and Doug's grandchildren.

Bill Armbruster

April 20, 2020

Doug was a wonderful man. I always enjoyed seeing him at East-West Center alumni gatherings and National Committee on US-China Relations events in New York. I owe a special debt of gratitude to Doug for inviting me to join the National Committee. My condolences to Peggy, Gwyn and his grandchildren.

Gay Young

April 20, 2020

Words fail at times like this just when you need them the most. You have my deepest sympathy. I am so sorry about the loss of your husband . Please take cre of yourself as he would have wanted you to do.

Jane Paermaul

April 20, 2020

Dear Peggy and family, It was an honor to have worked with Doug while we both were with the Lingnan Foundation. His contributions to China-US relations and corroborations had been immense. Thank you Peggy for sharing him with us.
Take care and carry on.
With best regards,
Jane

Edward Chow

April 20, 2020

Deepest condolence to Peggy and all of Doug's family. What a great loss. Doug will be missed by all who have ever met him.

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