Lois Murray z’’l

Lois Murray grew up and found her calling in Connecticut. Ms. Murray, as she was known to students, taught social studies and language arts in Ezra Academy's upper school for more than thirty years. She created signature programming, like Family History Night, that became a mainstay for many years. Students still recall the memories they made with Ms. Murray.  

Teaching was Ms. Murray's passion. It might come as a surprise that teaching was a second career. Ms. Murray was fond of recalling that it was her time working with books at Walden Books and K-Mart where she decided to return to work toward a graduate degree in history and teaching credentials from Southern Connecticut State University. Ms. Murray chose to teach at Ezra after completing her student teaching in the upper school.

Ms. Murray often contrasted education in her day and what she had learned in her M.A. program. Ms. Murray was the sort of teacher who nudged and nudged while insisting on excellence from every student. No student flew under Ms. Murray's radar. 

In the fall of 1993, Ms. Murray participated as a contestant on Jeopardy! She was proud of her performance. The students, their families, and the staff at Ezra Academy cheered her on. Ms. Murray played the video with her episode for the students, for whom it made sense. Ms. Murray was one of the smartest people that our students knew in their middle school years.

For many years, Ms. Murray, though not Jewish herself, led Kabbalat Shabbat with the upper school students. She often played a game in which students would review information from their week at school. Ms. Murray requested info from the other upper school teachers and would curate a game by which students reflected on the week just before Shabbat. 

In 2013, Ms. Murray celebrated a successful campaign to induct education activist and labor leader Augusta Lewis Troup into the Connecticut Women's Hall of Fame. Fighting for social change, Ms. Murray advocated for Troup's inclusion, work that filled her with pride ever since.

Each Purim, a special day of revelry and performance, Mrs. Mushnik, Ms. Murray's alter ego, would visit the school in lieu of Ms. Murray. The one thing we all agreed on was that Mrs. Mushnik got away with being even more over-the-top than Ms. Murray. Mrs. Mushnik became a beloved holiday fixture over the years. 

In 2022, Ms. Murray retired from Ezra Academy, where she had taught since 1990. The community of colleagues, alumni families, and the alumni themselves celebrated her invaluable contribution to the school's excellent academic program as well as to its student experience. Her beloved cat, Charlie, got more time with her, which made them both quite happy.

May Lois Murray's memory be for a blessing.   

About this page

Ezra Academy has received an outpouring of outreach on hearing the news of Lois Murray's passing. Our school was her home for more than thirty years. Ms. Murray had been working closely with the gala team as an honoree at this year's event on March 22. The award we planned to present will now be offered posthumously.

As part of the award, the gala committee will gather photos and memories from the many students and families whose lives Ms. Murray touched. We ask you to send in your stories and any photos that will help us honor Lois Murray both at the gala and beyond. Ms. Murray played an integral part in the life of Ezra Academy. As we celebrate our sixtieth year, we honor her memory as a pillar of this community. 

Thank you for your help!