William Randolph Murray, M.D.
December 4, 1924 - July 4, 2008

Dr. William Randolph Murray, Professor and Chairman Emeritus of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of California, San Francisco, died July 4th, 2008 at his home with family at his side. Dr. Murray was a graduate of St. Patrick's College, Ottawa University, Ottawa, Canada, and McGill University School of Medicine, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Murray completed his internship and surgical residency at the Detroit Receiving Hospital and his orthopaedic residency at the University of California, San Francisco. In 1958, he joined the faculty of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at UCSF and spent the next 32 years at the school and medical centre, rising through the ranks to full Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery in 1972. He was appointed acting chairman in May 1976 and Chairman of the Department of Orthopaedic surgery in February 1978, the position he held until his retirement in December 1990.

He was a member of 27 scientific medical societies, including the Canadian Orthopaedic Association, the American Orthopaedic Association (vice-president, 1984-5), the Western Orthopaedic Association, the International Hip Society and the American Hip Society (of which he was president in 1986). He was very active and influential in the societies of which he was a member.

Dr. Murray was an enthusiastic sportsman and athlete, having turned down a hockey scholarship in order to attend medical school. As an official member of the 1960 Canadian Winter Olympic team, he became the first official injury prior to the Squaw Valley games when he sustained a left leg fracture while "trying out" a just boot packed men's Olympic downhill run on Squaw Peak. He was an avid bird hunter of duck, dove, pheasant, and partridge that he pursued in the United States, United Kingdom, Europe, South America and Mexico. He was an active member of The International Order of St. Hubertus, a hunting conservation order, and Ducks Unlimited. He was also a yachtsman, belonging to both the St. Francis and San Francisco Yacht Clubs. He thoroughly enjoyed socializing with his friends, not only at the two yacht clubs, but also at the Bohemian Club (Star and Garter) and the Pacific Union Club in San Francisco.

His wife of 54 years, Mary Patricia (McGrory) Murray predeceased him in 2005. He is survived by his son Scott Murray of Belvedere and daughter and son-in-law Barry Murray Kuhn and Kevin Kuhn of Mill Valley and. His grandchildren, Madeline and Calum were the light of his life and he loved to tell them stories of his childhood and life with their Nana. He is also survived by his brother Robert Murray, MD, of Trenton, Michigan, sisters Mary Margaret LaCompte and Priscilla Gladu of Ottawa, Canada, and many, many, nieces and nephews. The hundreds of patients he helped, the large number of residents he trained, the peers he worked along side of and friends he socialized with will also remember him fondly. 

In lieu of flowers, (which Dr. Murray would never allow in a patients room) a longer lasting donation in his memory would be greatly appreciated to: The William R. Murray, M.D. Chair in Orthopaedic Surgery, UCSF Foundation, PO Box 45399, San Francisco CA 94145-0339 or St. Anthony's Foundation, 121 Golden Gate Ave, San Francisco CA 94102.

BMK