DeAnn Murray

DeAnn Marion Murray was born on September 24, 1932 in Polson, MT. After 92 beautiful years of life, she went to be with the lord on December 4, 2024, surrounded by her loved ones in her residence in North Little Rock, AR. She was one of three children to Ralph and Helen Hayes of Polson, MT. She adored her home state and visited as often as she could throughout her life.

Upon graduating from Polson high School in 1950, DeAnn pursued a nursing degree at St. Lukes Hospital School of Nursing in Spokane, WA. This led her to meeting the love of her life and husband, Edwin Murray, in Seattle, WA. Edwin was a Master Sergeant in the United States Air Force and DeAnn joined him on his Air Force journey to work as a Veteran nurse.

They traveled the world together for 26 years stationed in places such as Washington, Germany, Michigan, Texas, and finally Arkansas, where they chose to settle. Along this journey, they welcomed their three children, Cynthia Ann Moorman, Gregory Alan Murray, and Christine Louise Murray, into the world. DeAnn left from the Veterans Administration to become the head nurse for Integrity Inc. Where she helped provide home and community-based health care, rehabilitation, and childcare services in central Arkansas, for multiple decades and finally retiring in 2018 at the age of 86. DeAnn and Edwin also opened their home and became foster parents for multiple children with disabilities.

DeAnn had an altruistic approach to life, unselfishly concerned with the needs and happiness of others around her, never requiring anything in return. She held a strong standard of respect with the people around her and was highly admired by her peers. Her love of music, the arts, and traveling carried her though her life. She played the accordion and crocheted for as long as she was able, and traveled all around the world as often as she could.

DeAnn is preceded in death by her parents, Ralph and Helen Hayes, her sister Shirley Hayes, and brother Jim Hayes of Polson, MT. Her Husband Edwin Murray, their son Gregory Murray, and their grandson Lance Moorman of Sherwood, AR. She is survived by her daughter Cindy Moorman and son in law C.J. Moorman of Sherwood, AR. Her daughter Christine Murray of North Little Rock, AR. Her granddaughters Breanna Whalen of Nashville, TN and Kat Murray of Birmingham, AL. Her grandsons Royce Moorman of Jacksonville, AR, Chad Moorman of Sherwood, AR, and Alex Murray of Birmingham, AL. She has six great-grandchildren, Emma, Langdon, Bryton, Willow, Cobin, and Dawson Moorman; and two great-great-grandchildren, Veda, Sofia, and Stetson Moorman.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to be made to Alzheimer's Arkansas, at www.alzark.org.