James R. Murchie, 85, of Manteca, California, passed away on March 30, 2020.

   Jim was born on October 26, 1934, to Archie and Jane Murchie in Kemmerer, Wyoming. After graduating from White Pine High School in Ely, Nevada in 1953, he went on to serve as an apprenticeship at the Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington.  In 1959, Jim began work at the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory as a machinist and worked with lasers for 30 years. In 1951, he met Jeanne Kranovich. They wed in 1953, and have been married for 66 years.

   Jim was a gentle man, whose family meant more to him than anything else in the world. He was unendingly proud of his grandchildren, and great-grandchildren and always supported them. Jim was also a passionate about his church and especially the Door Keepers, a group of volunteers who work at the church. In his spare time, he loved to work in his garage wood shop or read.

Jim was the most loving father and husband a family could ask for.

   He is survived by his wife Jeanne, daughters, Kathy and Karen, son-in-law Cal, grandchildren Ross (Gina), Tai (Justin) and Erin (Romeo), great-grandchildren Mia, Rocco, Kylie, Emma, Wesley, Olivia and Elinor. Jim is survived by a brother John (Helen) Murchie and a sister, Jean Betts.

   P.L. Fry & Son Funeral Home is honored to serve the Murchie family. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the preschool at St. Paul’s Methodist Church, Manteca, CA. There will be a celebration of life when social distancing guidelines for Covid-19 have ended.

Manteca (Calif.) Bulletin

Thursday, April 2, 2020