‘She gave from her heart’: Wyoming philanthropist Susie McMurry mourned

McMurry died at Wyoming Medical Heart after a lifelong battle with diabetes, in line with an obituary posted to Bustard and Jacoby Funeral House in Casper. Her household confirmed that she had handed Saturday morning.

A Casper native, McMurry’s legacy of giving will be seen in numerous Wyoming organizations and buildings that had been supported by her contributions. She and her husband, Mick, began the McMurry Basis, which awarded almost $50 million in its first 15 years of operation alone. They assisted teams such because the Boys & Women Golf equipment of Central Wyoming, the College of Wyoming, Casper’s YMCA and Wyoming Medical Heart, amongst many others.

“Mickey was accountable for making the cash, and definitely he had enter on what philanthropic endeavors they need to assist,” mentioned Cary Brus, a director of Jonah Financial institution who has labored carefully with the household for many years. “However Susie was accountable for directing the philanthropic efforts, to a bigger diploma.”

Trying again on the couple’s legacy, he mentioned, “it is onerous to place into phrases what number of communities they’ve touched.”

McMurry was raised in Elk Mountain and Hanna earlier than returning to the Oil Metropolis to attend Casper School. She graduated with an schooling diploma from the College of Wyoming and taught for a time in Casper.

In 1973, she married Mick, who later developed Jonah Discipline in southwest Wyoming. That success made them two of the wealthiest folks within the state. They used that wealth to assist quite a few organizations and numerous Wyomingites. 

“Susie courageously at all times considered others first,” her obituary states. “She gave from her coronary heart and was a dwelling legacy of pleasure, kindness, love, and religion. Her life was about blessing others.”

Across the time of her marriage ceremony to Mick, McMurry befriended Barbara Cubin, who went on to function Wyoming’s sole member of the U.S. Home of Representatives from 1995 to 2009. That friendship — which additionally included former state superintendent Judy Catchpole — predated the success of Jonah Discipline, “however the cash didn’t change our relationship one single bit,” Cubin mentioned. “We had been nonetheless widespread folks at coronary heart.”

Catchpole added, “Susie is one of the best good friend anybody may have.”

Even after a long time of friendship, McMurry’s devotion to youngsters was some extent of amazement for Catchpole. McMurry was instrumental within the creation of the Little one Growth Heart of Natrona County.

“She was only a chief in getting these issues to occur for youngsters in Casper,” Catchpole mentioned. “It was so enjoyable to observe her.”

With out McMurry and the household’s philanthropic efforts, Casper could be a distinct place, she mentioned.

The McMurrys touched “almost each nook of the college with their philanthropy,” mentioned UW spokesperson Chad Baldwin. The Excessive Altitude Efficiency Heart, a fitness center situated on the college’s Jonah Discipline at Battle Memorial Stadium, for instance, is endowed of their names. And so they’ve made contributions to UW’s marching band, faculty of enterprise, faculty of schooling, faculty of well being sciences and the library.

Along with her philanthropy, McMurry volunteered a lot of her time to the causes she believed in, Cubin mentioned. “She donated not solely her cash, however her life.”

Jamie Purcell, government director of the Wyoming Meals for Thought Undertaking, recalled assembly McMurry whereas working for the Boys & Women Membership. The philanthropist supported Wyoming Meals for Thought Undertaking when it was a fledgling group aiming to deal with meals insecurity within the Casper space.

“She would be sure to say hey to all of us,” Purcell mentioned. “She knew us as folks and pleasant faces, and it meant a lot to me developing by the ranks of [community] improvement and nonprofits to have somebody as influential as Susie McMurry know my identify and say hey to me.”

McMurry noticed the worth in Wyoming Meals for Thought and neighborhood teams when others didn’t, and he or she had religion in these working to raised Casper, Purcell mentioned — and, not like some philanthropic organizations that ask for detailed accounting right down to the penny, actually invested in what they supported, she mentioned.

“They obtained to know you. You developed a relationship after which they’d provide you with a present in your mission. It was very trust-based,” she mentioned.

“Susie very a lot believed in investing in the neighborhood in so many various methods. It is simply extremely impactful to have somebody so influential, but additionally so form, belief that our mission was going to be doing what we mentioned it was,” Purcell mentioned. “To have their backing meant simply a lot to us.”

McMurry continued her philanthropic work after Mick’s demise in 2015.

“After Mickey died, Susie stepped up in a manner that stunned all of us,” Brus, the previous McMurry worker, mentioned.

“She was each bit his equal in lots of respects,” he added, “and generally his superior.”

However these near McMurry spoke about greater than her kindness and generosity. In addition they recalled her devotion to her Catholic religion, and her humorousness.

“She had a rapier wit,” Brus mentioned. “And I feel that, coupled along with her great [judgement] of individuals round her for good traits and unhealthy — it was a blast simply to be in the identical room along with her and listen to her humorousness on full show.”

Cubin, her lifelong good friend, mentioned the pair discovered methods to snicker by all of it. They amassed loads of inside jokes over the a long time, she mentioned. “The type that you simply wouldn’t put within the newspaper.”

McMurry had a terrific giggle, Catchpole added.

“We beloved to have enjoyable and giggle and do issues along with our households,” she mentioned.

McMurry is survived by her daughters, Trudi (Tyler) Holthouse and Jillian McMurry, sister San Koeneke, and grandchildren Lou McMurry, Tayla Davis, Tillie Holthouse, Ellie Holthouse, Evie, Lily, Max, and Drew Kaschmitter. She was preceded in demise by Mick McMurry, her mother and father Robert and Tillie and her sisters Trudy Wilson and Pat Quigly.

Her household has requested memorial contributions be made to the Little one Growth Heart of Natrona County or the McMurry Basis. 

A Rosary is deliberate for six p.m. Sunday at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Casper. A Funeral Mass shall be held at 11 a.m. Monday, additionally at St. Patrick’s.