Margaret Gwendolyn Murchison

Margaret Gwendolyn (Gwen) Murchison, a devoted wife, a compassionate mother, and a loving grandmother, departed peacefully to be with her Lord and Savior on May 9th, 2024.  She was a woman of deep Christian faith and will leave behind a legacy of kindness and a gracious spirit.

Born near Hot Springs, Arkansas, on August 20th, 1935, to O.E. and Maddie Owens, she was the youngest of their six children, and the only girl. She grew up an avid and accomplished athlete as well as an outstanding student. She graduated as salutatorian from Lake Hamilton High School in 1952 at the age of 16. Gwen was a four-sport letterman at LHHS in basketball, track, softball and volleyball, and as a senior, she led the team to the district basketball championship, and was subsequently named Player of the Year. She later earned New Mexico State Sports titles in bowling (1970) and golf (1977). She was a seven-time Women’s Club Champion at Tanoan Country Club in Albuquerque, and had five career holes-in-one.

Gwen married her husband of 69 years, Frank Murchison, in July of 1954. She soon took on the role of military spouse as she and her husband embarked on a globe-trotting career in the US Air Force that lasted until 1980. In this role she assumed the duties of head of the household when wartime overseas duty, many inspection team visits, and extended temporary duty assignments took Frank away for weeks, months, and even a year at a time. While busy with household duties, she managed to also work as an executive assistant on Ellsworth AFB, a church secretary, and a teacher at Hawai’i Baptist Academy. After retirement from the Air Force, she and Frank owned and managed a This Can’t Be Yogurt franchise in Albuquerque.

Most important were Gwen’s roles as a mother, wife, grandmother, and great-grandmother that made her so special. Always generous with her time and many talents, she was a gifted musician, playing the piano by ear and the horn for the Yucca Temple Daughters of the Nile Egyptian Band. She navigated life with grace and devotion to her husband, while traveling the Southwest to play golf, or to see the world as a couple. As Grams, she showed affection to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and her caring personality and example of ‘faith and family first’ left an indelible mark on their lives.

Gwen is preceded in death by her parents and brothers. She is survived by her husband, Frank, two children, David Murchison and wife Sherry, and Stephen Murchison and wife Jeanne. She is also survived by her grandchildren Craig Murchison and wife Ginger, Lindsay Murchison Dyer and husband Trip, Nicole Murchison Summers and husband Scott, Colin Murchison, Ian Murchison, and seven great-grandchildren.

A celebration of Gwen’s life will be held at 2:00 pm on May 31, 2024 at Allen Family Funeral Options. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in the name of Gwen Murchison to the Fisher House Foundation, which provides housing free of charge for military and veteran families while loved ones are in the hospital:

https://fisherhouse.org/get-involved/ways-to-give/

To view a recording of the memorial service, please visit: https://webcast.funeralvue.com/events/viewer/101370

The recording will be available at the above site for 90 days following the service.