James McMurtrey - Obituary

ames Edward McMurtrey, III, 66, a resident of Annapolis and previously of Upper Marlboro, died on Tuesday, April 15, 2014 at his residence after a 5 year struggle with prostate cancer. Born in Washington, D.C. on May 29, 1947, Jim earned a B.S. Degree in Agronomy in 1972 and a M.S. Degree in Plant Breeding in 1979 from the University of Maryland. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps as a Sergeant in the 1st Marine Division during the Vietnam War and was awarded two Purple Heart Medals, the Gold Star, the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnamese Service Medal, the Vietnamese Campaign Medal w/ device, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Palm and the Combat Active Ribbon. Jim worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Beltsville for 38 years, where he contributed significantly to the development of the Tara soybean variety that increased crop residue in order to reduce soil erosion. He was a Past Master of the Centennial Lodge #174 and a member of the Knights Templar, Annapolis Fleet Reserve Club, Marlborough Hunt Club and the Veterans of Foreign War. Jim enjoyed gardening, boating, hunting, fishing, and bird watching. He is survived by his wife Joyce E. McMurtrey, whom he married on July 12, 1986; a daughter, Bethany C. McMurtrey of Annapolis; two sons, James E. McMurtrey, IV of Glen Burnie and Daniel D. Wright of Omaha, NE; a brother, John J. McMurtrey of Baltimore and two grandchildren, Charlie D. and Madelyn E. Wright both of Omaha, NE. Friends are invited to Jim’s Life Celebration from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8pm on Monday, April 21 at the George P. Kalas Funeral Home, 2973 Solomons Island Rd., Edgewater, MD. Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 11am on Tuesday, April 22 at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, 7436 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd., Glen Burnie, MD. Interment will follow at Maryland Veterans Cemetery in Crownsville, MD. Contributions may be made to the Hospice of the Chesapeake, 90 Ritchie Hwy., Pasadena, MD 21122. An online guestbook is available by clicking the tab above.