Margaret Spitzbarth Murray, 100, passed away peacefully on the evening of December 13, 2021 in her residence at Southern Knights Senior Living Community, Tomball, TX.

Margarette Charlotte Louisa Spitzbarth Murray was born January 16, 1921 in Hof, Bavaria, Germany to Hans and Else Mähr Spitzbarth.  She came to the United States April 1926 from Hamburg, Germany by steamship.  Margaret's father, Hans was a tool and die maker settling his family in Detroit, Michigan.  Margaret became an American citizen May 9, 1932.   Margaret graduated Edwin Denby High School in 1939. She met her future husband at Edwin Denby, Harrison Frank Murray.  January 2, 1942, Margaret and Harrison married in Detroit, MI.   Over the next 20 years the Murray family moved to many locations including Oklahoma City, OK, Baltimore, MD, Boulder, CO, Boulder Canyon, CO, finally settling in Houston, TX June 1960.

Margaret was preceded in death by her parents Hans and Else (Mähr) Spitzbarth and her two brothers Arthur Spitzbarth (Juanita Rhea) and Fritz Spitzbarth (Lois Davis) and her former husband Harrison Frank Murray SR.  She is survived by her youngest sister Gertrude Spitzbarth Oser (Lawrence) of Warren, MI and her sister-in-law Lois D. Spitzbarth of East China, MI.

Margaret is survived also by her 5 children with Harrison F Murray: Bethany Murray (Jack Curry) Carlsbad, CA, Harrison F Murray, JR (Kathleen Simmons Best) of Cypress, TX, Barbara Murray PhD of Redlands, CA, Sheila Murray Crane (Jim) of Monument, CO and Claude Murray (Tamara Dutnell) Lakewood, CO.

Margaret's six grandchildren are: Angela Smith Hughes (Jason), Natasha Murray Epperson (Charles), Heather Crane, Harrison F Murray III (Catherine Cain), Stewart Murray, and Ellis Murray.  Margaret was blessed with 8 great- grandchildren, Autumn Gray, Grace (Gray) Morehouse (Thomas),  James Canle, Mason Cain, Charlotte, Meredith, Margaret, Mary and Harrison F Murray IV and Savannah Russell.   Margaret's nieces and nephews surviving her are Arthur Spitzbarth (Kay), John Spitzbarth, Andrew Oser (Donna) and Martha Oser Sieting (Larry). Her nephew Robert Spitzbarth preceded her in death.

Margaret was a skilled homemaker from 1942 until she returned to finish her education at the University of Houston graduating in 1961 with a BBA in Accounting, then later pursuing a BS in Institutional Management and Dietetics graduating University of Houston August 1968.

Margaret held several interesting supervisory positions in the Food Service Industry including The Bull and Bear Restaurant, Houston, TX, Sam Houston Hospital, Houston, TX and Memorial City Hospital, Houston, TX. Margaret worked 10 years for Harris County Appraisal District in Data Processing. She retired from this position in 1992 at age 71.

Margaret was a very talented seamstress, sewing clothes for all her children during their school years. In later years, she became very adept at crochet.  She leaves a beautiful legacy of doilies and tablecloths.  Margaret was also an avid doll collector – she loved them all, from Barbie to Madame Alexander and many more.

A celebration of life is tentatively planned for Margaret on Mother's Day, May 8, 2022. Margaret had several charities she donated to faithfully – The National Trust for Historic Preservation, The Smithsonian, and The Humane Society.   In lieu of flowers, donations to a charity of your choice are a thoughtful way to remember Margaret.

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In Margaret's handwriting: 2-24-2000 Written at 2:00 am (I couldn't sleep)

This is the story of my life.

I was born in Germany, the city of Hof and the state of Bavaria on a Sunday January 16, 1921, the 2 ^nd child of Else and Hans Spitzbarth. (Hans was born 1898, Else was born 1901) My parents named me Margarette Charolotte Louisa Spitzbarth. My brother Arthur was just 14 months older than I, born November 11, 1919. We lived on a street named Enoch Wittman Strasse.

*November 11, 1919 was called Armistice Day.  That is the day the Germans agreed to defeat and the Allies (Americans, France etc) were declared the official end of World War I. The treaty was signed at Versailles in 1919.

During the War my grandfather's American brother was getting prosperous selling beer and booze in Detroit, Michigan. Prohibition had been repealed in? [December 5, 1933]. My grandfather was named Arthur Mahr and his brother was Theodor Mahr.  How Uncle Theodore migrated to American and somewhere along the way married Tante Gretel, I do not know that story. Anyhow, the prosperous American Uncle Thedor and Tante Gretel decided it was time to visit the old homeland. So sometime in 1921 they visited Theodor's brother (my grandfather) in Hof, Germany. During their visit the American relatives convinced my father Hans to emigrate to America where work was plentiful and my father skills were in great demand. My father, Hans was a (schlosser) tool and die maker. He had learned his skill working on the railroad and in the German Navy in his youth.

In 1923 or 1924 Hans sailed to American sponsored by Tante Gretel & Uncle Theodor.  My father (Hans) lived with Tante G and Uncle T on Lafeyettte Street in Detroit. Tante G & Uncle T lived in a large 2 story house that had once been the abode of a veterinarian.  The upstairs had 3 or 4 bedrooms and a bath.

Hans lived there 2 years, worked as a tool and die maker (American was retooling for domestic productivity after the war economy) and sent money home to Germany to my Mom. Then in 1926 my dad had accumulated enough money to send for his wife and 2 children.

Travel in those days was by steamship. My mother, brother and I came to America on the German Steamship Bremen which was making her maiden voyage to American in April 1926.

*****

In Margaret's handwriting:

2-24-2000 Written at 2:00 am (I couldn't sleep)

This is the story of my life.

I was born in Germany, the city of Hof and the state of Bavaria on a Sunday January 16, 1921, the 2 ^nd child of Else and Hans Spitzbarth. (Hans was born 1898, Else was born 1901) My parents named me Margarette Charolotte Louisa Spitzbarth. My brother Arthur was just 14 months older than I, born November 11, 1919. We lived on a street named Enoch Wittman Strasse.

November 11, 1919 was called Armistice Day.  That is the day the Germans agreed to defeat and the Allies (Americans, France etc) were declared the official end of World War I. The treaty was signed at Versailles in 1919.

During the War my grandfather's American brother was getting prosperous selling beer and booze in Detroit, Michigan. Prohibition had been repealed in? [December 5, 1933]. My grandfather was named Arthur Mahr and his brother was Theodor Mahr.  How Uncle Theodore migrated to American and somewhere along the way married Tante Gretel, I do not know that story. Anyhow, the prosperous American Uncle Thedor and Tante Gretel decided it was time to visit the old homeland. So sometime in 1921 they visited Theodor's brother (my grandfather) in Hof, Germany. During their visit the American relatives convinced my father Hans to emigrate to America where work was plentiful and my father skills were in great demand. My father, Hans was a (schlosser) tool and die maker. He had learned his skill working on the railroad and in the German Navy in his youth.

In 1923 or 1924 Hans sailed to American sponsored by Tante Gretel & Uncle Theodor.  My father (Hans) lived with Tante G and Uncle T on Lafeyettte Street in Detroit. Tante G & Uncle T lived in a large 2 story house that had once been the abode of a veterinarian.  The upstairs had 3 or 4 bedrooms and a bath.

Hans lived there 2 years, worked as a tool and die maker (American was retooling for domestic productivity after the war economy) and sent money home to Germany to my Mom. Then in 1926 my dad had accumulated enough money to send for his wife and 2 children.

Travel in those days was by steamship. My mother, brother and I came to America on the German Steamship Bremen which was making her maiden voyage to American in April 1926.