Murray Carver

Murray Lee Carver, 84, passed away peacefully on April 1, 2017, surrounded by his family under the care of the Iowa River Hospice in Marshalltown. Funeral services will be held at 7:00 p.m. Thursday, April 6, 2017, at the Mitchell Family Funeral Home in Marshalltown, IA. A visitation with the family present will be held prior to the service beginning at 5:00 p.m. until the service begins at 7:00 p.m. Memorials in his honor may be directed to the Iowa River Hospice, Animal Rescue League or anywhere the donor feels suitable that preserves the legacy of pilots and flight. Military honors will be presented by the combined VFW/American Legion Honor Guard of Marshalltown. Murray was born July 25, 1932 in Zearing, Iowa. He was the son of Clifford J. and Louise (Bowie) Carver. He attended school in Zearing, Iowa and graduated in 1950. He then farmed with his father for a few years before enlisting in the Army and serving as a Corporal while stationed in Germany during the Korean War. Following his discharge from the Army, Murray returned to Zearing and married Glenna Lewis in 1955. They were blessed with three children, Rodney Carver of Batavia, IL, Douglas Carver of Grimes, IA and Suzanne (Tom) Mead of Marshalltown, IA. They later divorced. On February 14, 1987 he married Susan Stonewall Coleman and resided in Carrollton, TX until they recently relocated to Grinnell, IA. From this marriage, Murray became a loving step-father to Jessica Coleman of Garland, TX and Andrea Coleman-Schaer of Rowlett, TX. Murray retired after 38 years of service to Lennox Industries. He was the Director of Flight Operations and Chief Pilot for Lennox when they began flight operations in Marshalltown and was later transferred to Addison, TX with the Lennox corporate move in 1978. Murray loved boating and golfing and for many years had a home at Lake Panorama in which he loved to entertain family and friends. As a hobby, Murray enjoyed building and flying remote control airplanes. In addition to his wife and children, he is survived by one sister, Wanelle (Don) Stonebraker of Cedar Rapids and half-sister Marsha Hogan of Leawood, Kansas. Also left to cherish his memory are nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren that he adored spending time with. He was preceded in death by his parents, step-mother Juanita Carver and one sister and her husband, Shirley and Tom Morgan.