R. Murray Mahany

    MAHANY, R. Murray, 81, ARKPORT, NY & EASTON, ME, at Arkport, New York, September 5, 2014. 

    ARKPORT, NY & EASTON, ME – R. Murray Mahany died unexpectedly on September 5, 2014. Born in Easton, ME, on July 2, 1933, he was the youngest son of Eldon and Delia (Long) Mahany, the grandson of William Patrick and Frances (Valley) Mahany, and the great-grandson of Cain and Mary Ann (Fallon) Mahany, all residents of the River de Chute area of Easton.
    Murray grew up on the family farm, attended Easton schools, and graduated from Easton High School as Salutatorian of his class in 1950. He then attended the University of Maine for two years, majoring in Agriculture. In 1952, he moved with his parents to Arkport, where he has since resided.
    Murray was involved in farming all his adult life, and in a ‘Joint Venture’ with his three sons and a son-in-law, operated Poverty Knob Farms in Arkport, raising 2635 acres of various crops.
    Murray was always working for the betterment of the community. He served for about 20 years on the Dansville Town Board and served on numerous local, county and state boards. Throughout the years, Murray also received numerous awards, including the Goodyear Merit Award (1978 and 1988), the Steuban County C & S Leadership Award (1989), the Soil & Water Conservation Society Merit Award (1990), and the State of New York Governor’s Outstanding Farm Family Award (1993) presented by Gov Mario Cuomo. And earlier this year, Murray was presented with the 2014 Empire State Potato Growers Industry Leadership Award.
    Murray was a member of the Dansville Moose Lodge and the Arkport American Legion.
    Murray was married on October 23, 1954, to the former Reba Norton who survives. Also surviving are three sons, Robert (Debora) Mahany, Gary (Patricia) Mahany, and Gregory (Karen Meade) Mahany; three daughters, Brenda (Dennis) Acomb, Linda (Mark) Mahoney, and Susan (Rick Wilcox) Cotter; his son-in-law, Daniel Cotter; two sisters, Gertrude Thompson of Seattle, WA, and Sr. Joyce Mahany of Standish, ME; 18 grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews.
    Murray was predeceased by his three brothers, Vincent Mahany, Joseph Mahany and Patrick Mahany.
    Murray will be remembered by his cousin and classmate, Carolyne Mahany; by his cousins, Barbara Mahany and Brenda Mahany McAllister, who was like a little sister to Murray and after whom he named his first daughter.
    Murray was a dedicated Roman Catholic. The first church Murray attended was St. Patrick’s, a little church in River de Chute, built by his forbears and relatives, where he served as an altar boy. Recently, he was a communicant at St. Mary’s Church in Canaseraga, NY, where his Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on September 10, 2014.