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Category: Front Page News Front Page News
Published: 12 November 2017 12 November 2017


Photos and article by Mary Alice Murphy

 

One of the exhibit's explanatory plaques talked about Murray Ryan's early years: The Impish Child of a Legendary Family. This photo, at left, is of lifelong buddies-the terrible trio-from left, Bill Sheen, Mary Jane Martens and Murray Ryan.

An exhibit to honor the legacy of William Murray Ryan, who was born July 22, 1922, and died this year on Jan. 7, 2017, took place at the Visitor Center in Silver City. The center bears his name, the Murray Ryan Visitor Center.

He served as a long-time state representative in the New Mexico Legislature, representing his home area.

He was born in Santa Clara, then known as Central, in the same house where his mother was born, into a well-know Grant County family. His grandfather, W.D. Murray also served New Mexico and helped write, as well as sign, the first New Mexico Constitution.

A graduate of St. Mary's Academy and New Mexico State Teachers college for elementary and high school, he graduated from West Point just as World War II was ending, and served in Germany during the years after the war, helping the country recover.

He considered his family his legacy, and many attended the exhibit to show their love for him. Many of them also have chosen lives of service, as teachers, military officers, nurse administrators, pediatricians, environmental water specialists and police officers. He left behind 11 great-grandchildren.