James Joseph Murray, "Just Jimmy," to everyone he met, passed away peacefully surrounded by family at his home in Bryn Mawr on August 25th, 2025 – which also happened to be the day of his 58th wedding anniversary to his beloved wife Dianne.

Jimmy was born in Our Mother of Sorrows Parish in West Philadelphia, moved later in his childhood to Holy Cross Parish in Westbrook Park, spent time in Our Lady of Malibu Parish during a stint on the West Coast, before moving back to the Philadelphia area, first to St. Denis Parish in Havertown and then St. Thomas of Villanova Parish in Bryn Mawr.  An always devout and religious man, Jimmy claimed that men of his generation, no matter what their faith, identified where they were from in Philly by Catholic Parish, and so we honor his tale in this telling.

A self-described "Class D local Celebrity," he was known far and wide for his love of sports, the city of Philadelphia and charitable causes.  Jimmy rose to prominence at the Philadelphia Eagles, becoming the youngest General Manager of an NFL team at age 36.  He believed in the power of sports to do good and helped found the first Ronald McDonald House in Philadelphia, a program which now has houses on every continent except Antarctica.  He saw the hand of God in all things, and in so doing became God's hand in the world.

Under his tenure at the Eagles, Jimmy brokered a deal to hire Coach Dick Vermeil, a simpatico soul whose humanistic coaching style matched Jimmy's managerial one, and the Eagles achieved a Superbowl berth for the victory starved city in 1980.  Unfortunately, according to Jimmy the team "peaked at the National Anthem" for the game.

When at the Eagles, Jimmy brokered another deal that gave him his purpose and drive for the rest of his life.  Leonard Tose, the owner of the Eagles at the time and a man whose, "greatest addiction was his generosity," had formed the charity Eagles Fly for Leukemia and donated to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia in honor of Eagles player Fred Hill whose daughter Kim suffered Leukemia.  That donation was used to construct a clean room facility for pediatric patients with compromised immune systems under the direction of the formidable Dr. Audrey Evans, herself, another agent of the divine.  Dr. Evans had another idea.  She hated to see the parents of her terminally ill child patients live out of the waiting room in hospital corridors.  If only, the woman from Wales said, there was a place they could have a spot of tea together.  Jimmy married this idea to a funding source who had been purchasing advertising space at Veterans stadium, the local Philadelphia McDonald's Co-Op of owner-operators, headed by a man who would go on to become president of McDonald's Corporation, Ed Rensi.  Jimmy pitched the idea of the Eagles providing charismatic player Roman Gabriel for commercials to McDonald's in return for funding for Dr. Evan's idea.  Rensi came back with a counter…if they could call it the Ronald McDonald House, McDonald's would donate the profits of the seasonal Shamrock Shake promotion to the project.  Jimmy said, "If you give us that money, you can call it the Hamburgler House!"  The first Ronald McDonald House was opened on October 15, 1974 at 4032 Spruce Street with room for seven families. Jimmy called it the McMiracle.

Jimmy attended West Catholic High and Villanova University, served in the Maine Corp Reserve, worked for the Atlanta Crackers Minor League baseball team and at Villanova University Athletic Office before his tenure at the Eagles.

Jimmy is survived by his beloved wife of 58 years, Dianne Harrison Murray, and five children, six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, including his daughter Karin Davidson (Scott), his daughter Amy Murray, eldest son Jim Murray (Nancy), Brian Murray (Michele) and John Paul Murray (Megan); his grandchildren Jim Murray, Erin Criss (Jaret), Annabelle Murray, Colleen Murray, Martin Murray, Benjamin Murray; and his great-grandchildren JJ Criss and Augustine Criss. He was the dear brother of Francis W. Murray (late Patricia), and the late Katherine Savage (late Dennis) and Jane DeLuca (late Robert).

May he rest in peace and may we all in our lives give space for miracles to grow.

Jimmy's extraordinary life journey will be celebrated on Saturday, August 30th at 11 am at St. Thomas of Villanova Church on the Villanova University Campus at 800 East Lancaster Avenue, Villanova, PA.  Viewings will be on Friday, August 29th from 6 pm – 9 pm and on Saturday from 9 am – 10:45 am, also at the St. Thomas of Villanova Church. Interment will follow in SS. Peter & Paul Cemetery in Springfield, PA.

For those unable to attend the services, the Funeral Mass will be live-streamed at the link below:

Livestream of Funeral Mass for James J. Murray

In Lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Jimmy can be made to Ronald McDonald House Philadelphia Region at www.rmhcphilly.org/jimmymurray and/or Committee to Benefit the Children at www.cbckids.org