PHILADELPHIA - The Philadelphia community is honoring the life of James ‘Jimmy’ Murray, the former General Manager of the Philadelphia Eagles and co-founder of the first Ronald McDonald House.
What we know:
Unfortunately, Murray has passed away at the age of 87, the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) Philadelphia Region announced in a press release Monday.
Murray is survived by his beloved wife, Dianne, their five children, six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
What we don't know:
The date and cause of his death are unknown at this time.
Memorial service information has not yet been announced.
The backstory:
Jimmy Murray was raised in West Philadelphia and went on to study at Villanova University, graduating in 1960.
He then started his career in sports administration and served as General Manager of the Philadelphia Eagles from 1974 to 1982.
Eagles owner, Leonard Tose (L) speaks with his general manager, Jim Murray, on his arrival at Vet Stadium to meet with his coaches as the fist day of the players strike begins. (Photo by Bettmann Archive/Getty Images)
While he was GM, the Birds achieved playoff berths four years in a row from 1978 to 1981 and made their first Super Bowl appearance in January 1981.
In addition to his success with the Eagles, Murray also found success and joy in his philanthropic efforts.
According to the RMHC Philadelphia Region, Murray considered his work with RMHC his "personal Super Bowl".
As the Philly chapter explained in the press release, when doctors told former Eagles star Fred Hill, that his daughter had leukemia, Murray helped him raise funds to support cancer research.
At that time, Murray met Dr. Audrey Evans, a pediatric oncologist at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), "who wanted to create a home away from home for families with sick children visiting local hospitals," the press release says.
Murray helped to finance her vision and created the first-ever Ronald McDonald House through Shamrock Shake proceeds.
The Ronald McDonald House in Philadelphia created an award in his name to highlight those who provide service for the well-being of others.
What you can do:
In honor of his legacy, gifts may be made to support the Ronald McDonald House in Philadelphia by mail to 3925 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19104 or online at www.rmhcphilly.org/jimmymurray.
The Source: The information in this story is from the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) Philadelphia Region.