E. Allen Murray, Jr., on August 13, 2013, 80 years old.
Born in Havre de Grace, MD, on April 12, 1933, he was the eldest son of the late Edgar A. and Mollie Boyd Murray. A 1951 graduate of Havre de Grace High School, he earned a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Delaware. Mr. Murray retired in 1989 after a career spanning 38 years as an electrical engineer at Aberdeen Proving Ground. He was married to his high school sweetheart, the former Audrey Rickey, of Perryman.

Mr. Murray became interested in horse racing at a young age. He attended races at the old Havre de Grace Racetrack and decided he wanted to go into the business. Mr. Murray met his wife while riding show horses as a teenager. They bought a brood mare for $800 and started their operation in 1958, settling on a farm in Churchville in 1961. From their first big stallion purchase, Buck Hill, they continued to buy, syndicate and sell stallion shares in a highly competitive international market. Allen earned industry-wide respect for his discerning ability to select the best quality horses. He considered their purchase in 2001 and subsequent sale of Our Emblem his greatest success, after the stallion's son War Emblem won both the 2002 Kentucky Derby and Preakness. Murmur Farm also bred and raced many important stakes winners, including Celtic Innis, Regal Solo, Saudi Brass, and Big Ego. The Murrays purchased Berkley Farm, also in Darlington in 2004, and Allen immediately began work on designing and creating a premier training facility, including a state-of-the-art racetrack, which he considered to be his finest engineering accomplishment.

Mr. Murray was a prominent spokesperson and advocate for the breeding business. He served for many years on both the Maryland Horse Breeders Association and Maryland Million Ltd. Board of Directors, among others.

In addition to Audrey, his beloved wife of 58 years, Allen Murray is survived by his children and grandchildren as follows: Kent Murray and wife, Donna, and their children, Sean, Kimberly and Michelle; Stuart Murray and wife, Janet, and their daughter, Kathryn; Carolyn Murray Berger, and her children, Amanda, Ryan, Brenden and Kyle Berger, a great-granddaughter, Vanessa Berger; a brother, Richard Murray and three sisters, Sharon Ferrell, Carol McGowan and Mary Holt. A brother, James Murray, predeceased him.

Viewing will be at Zellman Funeral Home in Havre de Grace, MD on Sunday, August 18, from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. Funeral services will be held at Zellman Funeral Home on Monday, August 19, at 11 a.m. Interment will be at Angel Hill Cemetery in Havre de Grace, MD. Pallbearers will be Kent Murray, Stuart Murray, Sean Murray, Ryan Berger, Brenden Berger and Kyle Berger.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Maryland Horsemen's Assistance Fund, 500 Redland Court, Suite 105, Owings Mills, MD 21117 or the American Heart Association, MD Chapter, 217 E. Redwood Street, 23rd Floor, Baltimore, MD 21201.