Michael J Murray

Michael James Murray, 77, died on Monday, March 16, 2026. He was born on August 15, 1948, in Madison, Wisconsin, to Albert Francis Murray and Elizabeth Jean Dickerson Murray. As the son of a military family, both of his parents were in the service. He and his sister, Kathy, moved often throughout their childhood, experiencing life in many places before he ultimately graduated from Tampa Jesuit High School in Tampa, Florida.

Michael went on to build a loving home in Onalaska, Wisconsin, where he raised his four children. In college, he met the love of his life, Rose, and after reconnecting years later, they were blessed with more than 25 years of marriage.

Education and continuous learning were important to him throughout his life. He earned a Ph.D. from the University of Notre Dame in Finance and Economics.

He began his professional career with Tampa Electric at their corporate headquarters before moving to Wisconsin to work at MGIC in Milwaukee. He was later recruited to lead the Bureau of Business and Economics Research at UW–La Crosse, and after several years, he was once again recruited, this time by Winona State University, as a professor of Finance and Economics, where he worked for more than 35 years.

He really enjoyed his time up there, whether it was teaching, working with his colleagues—especially his office neighbor Matt Hyle—or even just playing basketball at noon with other faculty and students. He even enjoyed his daily commute, always taking the Minnesota side of the river so he could watch the water and the trains along the way.

He was an adjunct professor at numerous other institutions of higher learning, including Marquette University, the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, Ball State, the University of South Florida, and even Notre Dame. He always liked to mention that he once taught a class there with Joe Montana as one of his students. He also tutored Dave Casper, who, at 6’4”, 240 pounds, could really fill the room.

He loved to write and read his Wall Street Journal every day. He wrote too many professional papers, periodicals, articles, market research studies, and even numerous books to mention. We found it funny when he said he would make his students buy his books, as he always incorporated them into his classwork. Financial literacy was always a high priority that he instilled throughout his lifetime.

If you were running errands and had to go to the grocery store, hardware store, and the bank and weren’t sure where to start, he would always say, “Take care of your financial matters first.”

Outside of work, he liked working with his hands. He tirelessly built the “Log House” where he raised his family. He had a knack for learning and construction, as he took two log garage kits and turned them into a two-story, five-bedroom house. The family lived in Milwaukee at the time, and he would drive up every weekend from Milwaukee to Onalaska, WI, to work tirelessly on it.

The kids would always try to assist with his construction projects where they could, even if it just meant holding a board, getting a tool, finding him a clean shirt, or a cold Leine’s from the refrigerator.

He loved the water and cherished traveling with his wife, Rose, and their two dogs, Mac and Reilly, to their “River House” in Sauk City or their Gulf-front home in Apalachicola, Florida. Whether he was relaxing, fishing, or just sitting on the patio watching the shrimp boats return with the day’s catch—and being among the first in line for the freshest dinner—those moments brought him real joy.

He also had a passion for stick-shift cars, especially Chevy Blazers. Everything had to be a manual transmission, and he intentionally bought two brand-new Blazers in the ’90s after hearing that stick shifts might be discontinued. He enjoyed home improvement projects and spending time outdoors, whether building planters and arbors for his grapevines or riding his bike around just to enjoy the fresh air.

Michael is survived by his loving wife, Rose A. Raska; his sister, Kathy Ann Murray Teper; her three children and their families; and his four children and 13 grandchildren: James Murray (Sam, Ben), Michael Murray (Mason, Myla), Colleen Murray (Juliana, Jack, Oliver, Susie, Lucy, Javier, Miguel), and Patrick Murray (Griffin, Josie).

He was preceded in death by his parents, Albert Francis Murray and Elizabeth Jean Dickerson Murray, and the mother of his children, Suzanne Meloche.

A Memorial Service is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, March 19, 2026, at Mary Mother of the Church Parish with a luncheon at the church, immediately following the service.