Elizabeth "Fern" Murray, born in Piqua, Kansas August 6, 1938, passed into the loving arms of our Lord March 25, 2023, at Cox Medical Center in Springfield, Missouri.  She lived out her retirement years in Springfield so she could be close to her daughter Sheila Tapp Johnson and son-in-law Dennis Johnson.  Before that, she resided in Iola, Kansas.  Fern attended church and elementary school at St. Martin's Church in Piqua, Kansas, then earned her high school diploma at Iola High School, Iola, Kansas.

What was most important to Fern was faith, family and friends.  She admired her parents, three older siblings and her daughter Sheila; and the list goes on and on.  Fern was known for her great sense of humor, and she never met a stranger.  Fern believed that every person was someone special she just hadn't met yet.  Fern was a woman of faith, who had a kind, compassionate, and gentle spirit.  She especially enjoyed attending mass at St. John's Catholic Church in Iola, Kansas where she sang in the choir.

Fern had a long career as a professional businesswoman, and she was known for her outgoing and charismatic personality.  Fern began her career as a model for Heer's Department Store in Springfield, Missouri.  From there she worked as an executive secretary for several organizations, including an oil firm.  Fern spent most of her career with the state of Missouri working at Western Missouri Mental Health.  This was an ideal position for her because she had a great deal of compassion for people struggling with mental health problems.  She had a very special relationship with her nephew Andrew who has Austism.  If you were to ask Fern what she treasured most in life, she would say her daughter Sheila and a couple of generations of nieces and nephews.  They brought so much joy to her life, and she was known to all of them as "beautiful Aunt Fern".  The most memorable time were weekends spent at Piqua where all the kids gathered to play games and perform plays; all the things that help children develop self-confidence.

She could lit up a room with a smile or a joke that made everyone laugh.  She enjoyed attending all types of social events, especially when it came to music and dancing.  She loved to dress up and go out with her girlfriends whether it was dinner, dancing or going to a casino.  Although she traveled throughout her life, she considered Piqua, Kansas her true home because that was where she experienced her fondest memories.

Fern was preceded in death by her father, Alvin Murray, mother Elizabeth Murray, brother Everett Murray, sister-in-law Betty (Womack) Murray, sister Kathleen (Murray) Wade, brother Donald Murray, son-in-law Dennis Johnson, niece Jane (Murray) Vazquez and great-niece Desiree Jackson.

She is survived by her daughter Sheila Tapp Johnson, brother-in-law Timothy Wade, sister-in-law Lois Murray, nieces and nephews Yvonne (Wade) Bell, Donna (Wade) Watchous and Joseph, Roxanna (Wade) Barlow, Theresa (Wade) Bux, Jacque (Wade) Allen, David Murray, Kim (Murray) Burns, Gretchen Murray, Tracy (Murray) Newton, Patricia (Murray) Soptic, Bill Murray, Karen (Murray) Harris, Deborah (Murray Headrick, and Joe Murray.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. John's Catholic Church in Iola, Kansas.  A funeral mass will be held at St. John's Catholic Church followed by a burial at Highland Cemetery.  The date is yet to be determined but will be announced on this webpage.