Earl William Murray was born 26 Aug 1906 to William McClain Murray And Louise Lydia Opp in in Hotchkiss, Delta County, Colorado. Earl's brother, Edward, delivered Earl. Two short months after Earl was born, William (his father) died of appendicitis (7 December 1906 ). His Mother Louise was left to raise the boys on her own. The older boys, Edward and Harold were old enough to take care of themselves, and helped take care of the younger boys, Herbert and Earl. There was a little over a year between the two younger boys which provided for quite a handful. Apparently, Louise moved back to Beulah Colorado from Montrose Colorado, where there was lots of family support and help that she so desperately needed. Louise's inlaw's, James Perry Murray and Martha Amanda Sease helped watch Earl and Herbert while their mother worked to provide a living for the boys. "Amanda" Died 25 March 1910, when Earl was 3 1/2 years old. His grandfather continued to watch the boys until his health started to fail. James "Perry" suggested to his daughter-in-law that she should put the boys in a boy's home called "The Clayton School for Boys". This school was very elite and required high influence to get in. The school was designed for boys who's father had died. This was a strict school that demanded alot out of the boys. It was also self sufficient. The boys raised their own food (gardens and livestock). James "Perry" got the boys enrolled for their elementary and junior high years. James "Perry" died 30 November 1917. Earl was 11 years old. Louise visited the boys often. Earl was very bright and the school asked Earl to stay and complete his High School years there. Since Herbert was not asked to stay, Earl said no because he did not want to be there alone. Earl never did go to High School. He Later decided to be an electrician. He took the test and easily passed it. When the board discovered that he had not completed High School, They would not give him his license. Earl took the GED test and passed with flying colors. He was then granted his license. Earl was a highly intelligent man. There was almost nothing he couldn't figure out on his own.

Earl Married Opal D. Dickinson 11 June 1927 in Denver, Denver Colorado. Shortly thereafter, his Mother, Louise died ( 25 February 1928) in Denver, Denver Colorado of pneumonia.

Family Story related that Louise was of the Christian Science faith. When she caught pneumonia, she refused to see a doctor because she did not believe in professional medical intervention. Her son's begged her to go. As a result , she died young. Her body was sent by train to Beulah, Pueblo County, Colorado. She was buried next to her husband, William McClain Murray in the Beulah cemetery.

Earl loved the Outdoors. Fishing, camping, hunting, and hiking through the mountains were all activities he loved. He believed that when trout fishing, you got the best trout in the early morning at dawn and at dusk. Earl would wake up the family at one in the morning so they could get to the mountain streams to fish before the sun came up. The trip usually took awhile because Earl would have to stop and fill the radiator with cold water to cool the car off. Family story relates of a time when the family was taking such a trip and Lee had to go "pee". Earl wanted to get to the fishing stream before dawn so he told Lee to wait for the next stream. Apparently Lee had to go really bad and Verna pointed out a hole in the floor board. Lee used the hole and he and Verna giggled about it every time someone had to go.

Earl also loved to hunt. Later he gave it up because he said it was too hard to look in the animal's big brown eyes and cut their throat.

Earl passed down the love of the outdoors and the mountains to his children and grand children.

Earl was also sefl taught in the natural gas and furnace industry as well. Due to He is knowledge ands skill in that industry, he was sought out to over see the natural gas change over on the East Coast in the 1950's. As a result, the family moved alot and lived in various Eastern Coast States during the change over. However, Colorado was home.. Not only was Earl self taught, he was also an inventor. He and his brother's invented storm window storage units for for homes and mobile homes. He also discovered how to cut and polish Jade in a diamond cut, which had never been done before. Earl was talented in everything he tried. He would persevere until his project was "perfect". Even though he had his hands in alot of cookie jars, his passion was trout fishing.

Earl was a perfectionist (probably from living at the Clayton School for Boys). He was very neat and nothing was out of place. He lined his cigarettes in an ashtray from smallest to largest., and even organized his trash cans. At Christmas time, Earl would tease the family by taking off each piece of tape off a gift at a time, neatly roll it up, set it down (smallest to largest), then take off the next piece of tape. When finished with the tape, he neatly folded the paper. If he wrinkled the paper at all, he would smooth it out before looking at his gift. It drove the family crazy!! We learned to wrap HIS gifts with one piece of tape!