Murray Squires was born on 23 March 1921.
2 He died on 13 October 2009, at age 88, in Attica, Seneca, Ohio.
2 Murray Squires was a School Bus Driver in Willard, Ohio.
3 WILLARD: Murray began his career in the Willard-Attica area in 1947 when he and his wife Betty (Sage) Squires moved to Southern Huron County and began farming. Together, they raised three children of their own as well as fostering approximately 135 other children. Their lives were joined as one as they served in their community.
Murray retired from 30 years of driving school bus for the Willard Schools. He taught as a teacher's aid for four year in a severe behavior class and he and Betty volunteered on Tuesdays at the Senior Citizens Center in the Age Exchange program as tutors. In 1978 they spent 3 weeks in Guatemala with Youth For Christ doing earthquake cleanup and rebuilding. Together, they daily planned and cooked meals for 100 volunteers. In 1979 and in 1995 Murray and Betty went to the Redbird Mission in South Carolina to paint and repair homes. In 1994 they returned to Guatemala with Operation Blessing where Murray interviewed patients receiving eyeglasses and Betty sterilized dental instruments. In 1998 Murray was named the Lay Leader of the Year for the United Methodist Church, Mansfield District. He continued to speak on the subject of Being a Lay Leader in other churches. In 1999 They were awarded the Willard Community Unity Service Award. Accepting the award they said, "We are so blessed with our homestead and marriage and our faith in God and His promises that we have decided to share with others wherever we feel we can. We pray we will be able to do this a few more years." In August of 2000, Murray and Betty were honored at the Ohio State Fairgrounds by the State of Ohio District Five Agency on Aging. They were named as Citizens of the Year for Huron County. They have been honored by Governor James Rhodes as Foster Parents of the Year. They have addressed classes on foster parenting at Kent State University and Ohio State University. They have twice addressed classes on "Aging with a Purpose" at Marion Technical College.
They have summarize their lives by saying:
"We did not say to each other 'We will make this our goal; We will do this and this.' We talked it over and did what we thought was the thing to do at the time. We were not doing this alone. We both had chosen God even before we were married and He has been with us every step of the way. He has promised 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.'"
Murray has worked with Habitat for Humanity since 1994. He has contributed in the construction of 10 homes in the Willard-Plymouth area and continued to serve on committees at Firelands Habitat for Humanity. Since Betty's death in 2002, Murray has continued to tutor at the Age Exchange, teach Sunday School at First United Methodist Church in Willard, and assist in crafts at FW Friends at First Church .
He often commented at coffee in the morning: "Every morning when I get up, I say a prayer of thanks that I feel good enough to help someone."
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, October 17, 2009 at the First United Methodist Church, 401 E. Howard Street, Willard. Friends may call from 2-4 & 6-8 p.m. Friday at the Lindsey-Kocher Funeral Service, 323 Myrtle Ave, Willard.
In leiu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Richmond United Methoidist Church, Thanksgiving Fund, Firelands Habitat for Humanity, Mission Aviation Fund or the City Mission (Cleveland) through the funeral home.