Bertha Helen Mcmurry

After an heroic seven-year struggle with cancer, Bertha Helen Wing McMurry passed peacefully from this earth on Wednesday evening, May 26, 2010. She was 73 years of age, and a resident of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area for many years. Born the ninth of ten children in Wagoner, OK, on July 1st, 1936, Bertha carried the memories of her modest but loving family throughout her life. A person of great faith and religious devotion, she met her future husband, William "Bill" McMurry in a Tulsa church, where they began their long journey together. Bill became a pastor, and she became a pastor's wife in 1959, together providing leadership and comfort to a series of congregations in Turley, OK, Wiener, AR, and Atoka, OK before settling in Oklahoma City. In 1970, Bertha began a 30-year career as a Court Reporter at the State of Oklahoma Corporation Commission, where she developed friendships she treasured for the rest of her life. A person of great industry and professionalism, Bertha found time to complete an Associates' Degree at Oklahoma City Community College, and devote many hours to charitable work in numerous causes, especially with young people and international students. She was an avid cook, naturalist, and a Master Gardener. Love of nature and good food were her delights, shared to the enjoyment of all who knew her. Bertha and Bill both became Orthodox in 1986, which began her long association with St. Elijah's Antiochian Orthodox church, where they remained members when Bill was ordained Father Basil in 1992, until his retirement in 2002. At the time of her death, Fr. Basil and Bertha served the St. James Orthodox mission in Stillwater, OK, where they made many cherished friends. Bertha's love of the faith was the cornerstone of her life, and her proudest accomplishment in a long life was to be counted among those who love the Lord. Bertha is survived by William Louis (Father Basil) McMurry, her husband of fifty-one years, her children, William Scott of Oklahoma City and Roger Louis of Edmond, and one grand-daughter, Erin Elizabeth Smith of Oklahoma City. Bertha lived to see the birth of her great-grandchild, Elizabeth Katherine Smith, on May 22nd. Bertha's nine siblings were near and dear to her throughout her life, and she is survived by four: Inez Ocmand of Addis, LA, Gerry Cryer of Cleveland, TX, Frances Mayfield of Abilene, TX, and Douglas Wing of Tulsa, OK, along with host of beloved cousins, nieces, and nephews. Bertha was preceded in death by her parents, William Clark and Annis Wing of Wagoner, OK, and siblings Howard, Marie, Wallace, Garland, and Eugene "Gene".