John Joseph Murray - Obituary

ohn Joseph Murray passed suddenly on Wednesday, September 2nd, 2026. He was born on February 15th, 1960, to Harry F. and Elizabeth L. Murray in Columbus, Ohio. The family moved between the suburbs of Pittsburgh and Baltimore, with John graduating from Vincentian High School in the North Hills of Pittsburgh in 1978. During high school he met Anita J. Woods, to whom he was married from 1983 to 1990. John began playing tennis as a teenager on the courts of North Park in Pittsburgh. He played for the rest of his life, hitting with his longtime doubles partner Steve Lease, just days before his sudden passing. John’s love for ice hockey began while attending Pittsburgh Hornets games with his father and transferred to the Pittsburgh Penguins when they became an NHL expansion team in 1967. He was a Penguins season ticket holder for over 30 years despite living four hours from the arena. One of his most cherished moments was holding the Stanley Cup after the Penguins won it in 1992. John also loved nature - particularly the many fascinating butterflies he traveled near and far to photograph. John received his Ph.D. degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University in 1986, completing a four-year Office of Naval Research fellowship. He then joined the robotics group at Lockheed Martin. In 1996, he joined Larry Riddle, Steve Lease, and Kim Riddle as a founding member of Signal Systems Corporation (SSC), ultimately serving as its Chief Technology Officer. Over three decades at SSC, his world-class research in acoustic signal processing produced novel capabilities for the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy, earning him the nickname "Dr. Doppler." He is predeceased by his parents and his sister, Rebecca Bookhamer. He is survived by his brother, Harry W. Murray (Marianne Simmons), by his nephews Thomas Murray (Reina Chano) and Colin Murray, by his brother-in-law Randy Bookhamer, by his niece Marcie Henry (Jason), and by his nephews Jamin Bookhamer (Ingrid), Ryan Bookhamer (Sarah), and Phil Bookhamer (Katie). John was a very generous and devoted uncle. John Joseph Murray of Nottingham, MD passed away on September 2, 2026. He is survived by his brother Harry W. Murray (Marianne Simmons), nephews Thomas Murray (Reina Chano) and Colin Murray, brother-in-law Randy Bookhamer, niece Marcie Henry (Jason), and nephews Jamin Bookhamer (Ingrid), Ryan Bookhamer (Sarah), and Phil Bookhamer (Katie). Family and friends are invited to celebrate John’s life on Saturday, September 12 from 11 AM until his memorial service begins at 12 PM at Kalas Funeral Home & Crematory, 2973 Solomons Island Road Edgewater, MD 21037. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Ladew Topiary Gardens in John’s memory.