Robert Murray

Robert Murray, 101, Of Kensington

By Ralph Cipriano, Inquirer Staff Writer

POSTED: FEBRUARY 20, 1990

Robert Sargent Murray, 101, of Kensington, a retired carpet weaver, sportsman and old-school gentleman, died Sunday at Abington Memorial Hospital.

Mr. Murray's extraordinary longevity was a testimonial for clean living, family members said. He rode a stationary bicycle every day and didn't smoke or even curse.

"I never heard my grandfather make an ethnic or racial slur," recalled grandson Robert Murray 3d. "I never heard him say a four-letter word."

Family members took Mr. Murray's exemplary behavior for granted until a recent birthday.

"It wasn't until his 100th birthday that we realized what a special man he was," his grandson said. "He was always a quiet leader and a true gentleman."

Mr. Murray didn't drink either - except in recent years, when his doctor told him he had a choice of taking a shot of Scotch every day or a dose of heart medicine.

Mr. Murray chose the Scotch.

The third of 13 children, Mr. Murray was born in Philadelphia on March 8, 1888. He was the first member of his family, originally from Scotland, to be born in the United States.

In 1902, at the age of 14, Mr. Murray went to work at Nelson Carpet Co., Third and Cumberland Streets in North Philadelphia. From Monday to Friday, he was on the 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. shift. Saturday was only half a day, from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Mr. Murray became a union leader at a time when bitter strikes resulted in violence and even deaths. He was respected by both his co-workers and management because of his quiet style of leadership.

"He wasn't a rabble-rouser," his grandson said. "All the people that he worked with looked up to him."

Mr. Murray also had staying power. He was 83 when he retired in 1971 after a 69-year career. At that time, he was the oldest living member and a former vice president of the Carpet Weavers Union.

His grandson recalled once asking Mr. Murray what was the most amazing event he had seen in his long life. His grandson expected to hear about cars or planes or a man walking on the moon. But Mr. Murray had a surprising answer: the 40-hour work week. "He said he thought he would never live to see people working 40 hours a week," his grandson said.

Mr. Murray was a founding member and former president of the Lighthouse Boys Club in Kensington.

At the club, which was formed in the early 1900s to combat alcoholism, Mr. Murray was a player, coach and manager on soccer teams that over the years produced 17 Olympic athletes.

In 1973, Mr. Murray was inducted into the Philadelphia Old Timers Soccer Hall of Fame. He also was a player and coach on the club's baseball team.

Mr. Murray was a devout baseball fan whose favorite player was the late Jackie Robinson.

"He always said baseball was a thinking man's game and Jackie Robinson was a thinking man's ballplayer," his grandson said.

With his family, Mr. Murray was a quiet, humble man who took an exceptional interest in the lives of others.

"His focus was always on what you were doing," his grandson recalled. ''He didn't talk about himself."

Besides riding his stationary bike, Mr. Murray, a Mason, enjoyed playing pinochle, up to three times a week, at St. Raymond's Leisure Club of St. Raymond's Church in West Oak Lane.

He was the father of Robert Murray Jr., who died in 1977.

Surviving, in addition to his grandson, are his daughter, Agnes Schleicher; three grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren