Irene Mary Murray

August 5, 1934 – October 6, 2021

Irene Mary Murray (nee Novinski) passed away on Wednesday, October 6, 2021 at her home in Novi, Michigan. She was born on August 5, 1934, the daughter of the late Dora and Raymond Novinski. Irene was born in Montfort, Wisconsin where she grew up with and married her childhood sweetheart, Kenneth (Ken) Murray in 1956 after graduating from Stout State College (now University of WI – Stout). Irene and Ken settled and raised their family in Lansing, Michigan and they enjoyed many wonderful times with friends and family before their retirement years in Sarasota, Florida, and Lansing.

Irene was a creative and capable woman who was a docent in Lansing area art museums, volunteered at the Detroit Institute of Arts as a floral design judge, owned her own floral design business and was an active member of the Garden Club of Lansing (president from 1986-1988). She taught English and Home Economics in her early married years and was a talented seamstress and craft artist throughout her life. She enjoyed playing Bridge, golf and traveling the world with Ken in retirement. Irene had a deep curiosity about family origins and leaves behind an invaluable body of genealogical work spanning centuries. Her greatest devotion, however, was to her family and her Catholic faith.

Irene is survived by her husband, Kenneth, of 65 years, her brothers, Lyle (Sybil) and Clement (Susan) Novinski and her children, Brian Murray (Alison) of Novi, Chris Murray (Cynthia) of Lexington, MA, Lisa Charney of South Lyon, MI, and Sara Barbee (Garth) of West Linn, OR. She is also survived by her 10 grandchildren: Lauren Bonenfant (David), Alyssa Hurtado (Mark), Nick Charney, Anna Chum (Dustin), Tom Charney, Beth Charney, Sonja and Clay Barbee, Emma and Jack Murray, and great-grandson, Paul Bonenfant with another great-grandson expected. Irene was preceded in death by her parents, Raymond and Dora, and her brothers Dennis (Elizabeth) and Cletus (Lynda) Novinski.

Funeral liturgy on Friday, October 15 at 10:30am, at Holy Family Catholic Church, 24505 Meadowbrook Rd, Novi. The funeral will be livestreamed and recorded. Visit https://holyfamilynovi.org/mass-times to find the livestream link.

Memorial contributions can be made in Irene's honor to the Dementia Society of America PO Box 600, Doylestown, PA 18901 or the Michigan Garden Clubs scholarship program.