Sovenia Jane Rowan Murray
1928 – 2015

Sovenia (Si) Jane Rowan Murray died peacefully in her sleep from complications of Alzheimer's Disease on June 13th 2015 at Franciscan Villa, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. Throughout her decline with this disease she remained the same sweet gentle woman she had always been: warm, gracious and graceful until the last.

She was born May 8th 1928, the older child of John E. and Bessie Jaques Rowan, in her grandmother's farm house outside of Cassville, Missouri. She was raised in Tulsa, where she attended Sequoyah Elementary School, Cleveland and Wilson Junior High Schools and Will Rogers High School from which she graduated in 1946. She attended The University of Tulsa and was a member of Phi Mu Fraternity. While there she met and married James Thomas Murray in 1947.

Early in their lives together Si and Jim lived wherever Jim's education or work were located. They lived in Tulsa, where their daughter Constance was born, in San Antonio Texas, where Helen Beth was born, and in Austin Texas where their only son James, Jr. was born. Si and Jim returned to Tulsa in 1957.

Si was the consummate homemaker. She kept a pristine home for her family, always clean and cheerful. She loved to bake and decorate cakes. She sewed the girls' dresses. She made cherished Christmas stockings, ties and table runners. She loved to read, and instilled that love of books in her children. Si was devoted to her husband and her children: Friday night was family game night; Saturday was Si and Jim's date night; Sunday morning there was Mass and in the afternoon often a picnic or a jigsaw puzzle. She and Jim gave their children near-idyllic childhoods.

Si converted to Catholicism and remained a devoted Roman Catholic all her life. She was active in St. Francis Xavier and Church of the Madalene parishes, where her children attended school. She was president of the Madalene Women's Club in the mid-1970's. Si was a founding member of Madalene Quilters. Both she and Jim were Lectors and Eucharistic Ministers and were active in RCIA at Madalene. In retirement, both she and Jim attended daily Mass.

In 1976, with her children raised, Si went to work for the Tulsa Chamber of Commerce first as an Administrative Assistant in the Convention and Visitors Bureau and later as a Research Assistant. She enjoyed attending Tulsa Little Theater, Tulsa Town Hall, the Gilcrease and Philbrook Museums. As a lifelong Tulsan she was a fine spokesperson for the city. She retired from the Chamber in 1991.

In 2009, the Murrays moved to Franciscan Villa. The family is most grateful for the care and support both Si and Jim received there.

Si deeply loved her husband, her children and grandchildren, her friends and her church. She was in turn greatly loved by them. She was a devoted wife, loving mother and grandmother, and a good friend to her friends. She will be missed by them all.

Sovenia Jane was preceded in death by her parents, by her younger brother Charles Rowan, and by her loving husband of 66 years, Jim Murray. She is survived by her daughters Constance Murray and Helen Beth O'Neal and her husband Johnie O'Neal, and by her son James Murray, Jr. and his wife Debra Murray. She is also survived by her grandchildren Shellie Rea, Eilis O'Neal, Tristan Sublette, Ian O'Neal and by her great-grandchildren Amelia Rea and Owen Rea.

Rosary 7:00 PM, Tuesday, June 23, 2015 and Service 10:00 AM Wednesday, June 24, 2015 both at Church of the Madalene.

Reception following service at Constance Murrays' Home

In lieu of flowers the family suggests donations to Catholic Charities of Tulsa or the Alzheimer's Association.
Under the direction of Moore's Rosewood Chapel

918-744-1202