Former Eagles GM, Charity Leader Jim Murray Passes Away at 87
Jim Murray, a West Philadelphia native who transformed the Philadelphia Eagles into a Super Bowl powerhouse and helped create the Ronald McDonald House Charities, died Monday, Aug. 25, at 87….
Jim Murray, a West Philadelphia native who transformed the Philadelphia Eagles into a Super Bowl powerhouse and helped create the Ronald McDonald House Charities, died Monday, Aug. 25, at 87.
A Villanova graduate, Murray started with the Eagles in 1969, handling public relations. His role as general manager of the Philadelphia Eagles from 1974 to 1982 changed the Eagles' fate. Murray's sharp eye for talent led to the hiring of Dick Vermeil as the team's head coach in 1976. Under his watch, the team made its first-ever appearance in Super Bowl XV against the Oakland Raiders.
"Talking with Jimmy, you would have thought they won six Super Bowls in a row," Vermeil told The Philadelphia Inquirer. "He convinced me and said I would never regret coming to Philadelphia. If I did [come here], I would live there the rest of my life."
"People love the Eagles so much. It penetrates every level of society," Murray said in a story on the Eagles' website. "Philadelphia embraces strangers who become part of the city."
Murray's enduring legacy is connected to his work off the field. In 1974, he helped create the first Ronald McDonald House in Philadelphia, which opened near 40th and Spruce Streets.
According to PhillyVoice, the creation of the Ronald McDonald House was done to support former Eagles tight end Fred Hill and his daughter Kim, who was diagnosed with leukemia several years prior.
What began in Philadelphia has now grown into a worldwide network of care. According to The Inquirer, 385 Ronald McDonald Houses across 62 countries give families a home while their kids receive medical care.
Murray is survived by his wife, Dianne, as well as five children, six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. A celebration of life will take place on Saturday, Aug. 30, at 11 a.m. at St. Thomas of Villanova Church on the Villanova University campus, located at 800 E. Lancaster Ave. in Villanova. Viewings will be on Friday, Aug. 29, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 10:45 a.m., also at St. Thomas of Villanova Church. Interment will follow in Saints Peter & Paul Cemetery in Springfield, Pennsylvania.
Donations in memory of Murray can be made to Ronald McDonald House Charities at rmhcphilly.org/jimmymurray or the Committee to Benefit the Children at cbckids.org.
