Walter Lawrence McMurtry
January 23, 1939 ~ May 16, 2021 (age 82)
Obituary
It is with great sadness that the family of Walter Lawrence "Larry" McMurtry announces his passing on Sunday, May 16, 2021, in Albuquerque, at the age of 82. Larry was born in 1939 in Honolulu, Hawaii, where his family were among the few civilians to have witnessed the attack on Pearl Harbor. Larry grew up in Fort Collins, Colorado, attending Colorado State University. He studied for his PhD in History at the University of New Mexico (1983). Devoted to the railroading hobby from a young age, he was a keen historian and photographer of trains. He was a professional musician and a multi-instrumentalist, performing country music on the steel guitar as well as playing violin in the Fort Collins Symphony Orchestra. Before retirement, he worked several years for the US Postal Service.
He was known for his smile, his kindness, his compassion for others, and his love of animals (especially cats). We miss him greatly, but he will live forever in our hearts. Larry was preceded in death by his father, Randolph "Mac" and his mother, Ruth. He is survived by his daughters, Christina and Leslie; sons-in-law, Jesse and Jamie; brother, Randolph; sister, Virginia and husband, Robert; the Renfro family; his nieces, Miriam, Adriana, and Whitney; nephew, David; and many cousins. A Memorial Service will be held on Friday, August 20, 2021, 10:00 a.m., at FRENCH - University. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Animal Humane Society of New Mexico or the National Railway Historical Society.
Please visit our online guestbook for Walter at www.FrenchFunerals.com.
FRENCH - University
1111 University Blvd. NE
505-843-6333
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Walter Lawrence McMurtry, please visit our floral store.
Services
MEMORIAL SERVICE
Friday
August 20, 2021
10:00 AM
University Chapel
1111 University Blvd NE
Albuquerque, NM 87102