About the place:
Taken from the website, "Norman P. Murray Community and Senior Center has been designed to capture the essence of Mission Viejo in a comfortable, but classic “early California” motif. This beautiful 23,500-square-foot facility is surrounded by lush landscaping, stately courtyards and outdoor living spaces. If you are looking for the perfect venue for a wedding reception, anniversary, birthday party, conference or organizational meeting, the Community and Senior Center is ideal for any occasion and offers diversity to meet your special and individual needs. The facility also boasts audiovisual equipment, plasma televisions, and wireless technology. "
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About the person:
Taken from the website, "Known as the father of Mission Viejo, Norman P. Murray died Wednesday, May 23. He was 89.
For almost four years, Murray battled melanoma.
“It’s a prayer answered because he’s not suffering and in pain,” said Ken Murray, 62, his son. “We know he’s in a better place now.”
The city paid tribute to the former mayor at their annual Memorial Day Ceremony on Monday – an event that Murray always attended.
Murray was dedicated to civic life and public well-being. He served on the first City Council and was the city’s first mayor from 1988 to 1990. He worked on the Planning Commission and the Mission Viejo Activities Committee. He was a member of the Mission Viejo Elks and helped with the Olympic cycling event in 1984.
“My dad always felt he was very fortunate in how life treated him,” said Murray, of Huntington Beach. “He had compassion for people who were not as fortunate. His concern for public parks and facilities was something he wanted to pass on for future generations. He worked for the betterment of society.”
The city’s community and senior center was named after him in recognition of the work he did to get it built, said his daughter Jene Townsend.
Murray visited the center often for lunch and to participate in the different classes and activities. Many people in the community make reference to the center as “Norm’s place,” said Nancy Herrman, director of the community center.
Judy Deeter, of the Heritage Committee, remembers Murray for his deep words and kindness. Working with him for 10 years on the committee, she recalled him asking her to help write a history of the community center. She only wrote a few words and Murray wrote the bulk of it, she said.
“Upon publication, I was embarrassed to find that I had been given credit for most of the writing. I immediately apologized to Norm,” said Deeter. “He just laughed and told me that is just what he wanted. That was typical of Norman P. Murray.”
Murray was always civic-minded and he contributed a lot to the foundation and direction of the city in its first couple of years, said Mayor Pro Tem John Paul Ledesma.
“I will always think of him as the city’s father,” Ledesma said. “He had that low semi-booming voice that was authoritative and comforting at the same time.”
Memorial Services will be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, June 5 at the Presbyterian Church of the Master, 26051 Marguerite Parkway."
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