Myrtle S. Murray

Myrtle Sweet Murray died peacefully on Wednesday March 17th, 2021. She was a long-time resident of Altamont NY with her late husband Owen Murray.

She was born Myrtle Margaret Sweet on May 26th, 1926 in Chateaugay NY, daughter of the late Merle Sweet and Frances Arno Sweet. She grew up in Chateaugay and graduated in 1944 from Chateaugay High School.

She met and married her first husband, Laurin Earl Trainer right out of high school. Laurin died in a car accident in 1949. She worked at the Chateaugay Post Office for many years while being a single mother to her two sons and remained close to her sister-in-law Helen Trainer Sprague who continued to be a beloved member of her family.

She married Owen in March 1955 in Chateaugay, and they had two more children. In 1960, they moved to Clarence Center near Buffalo NY. While there she worked as a homemaker. She sewed, braided rugs, gardened, canned and preserved what she grew. She also sold Avon and was excited to save enough from that to buy her first dishwasher.

In 1969 they moved to Altamont where they lived the rest of their lives, becoming part of the community. They attended Altamont Reformed Church. When her children were older, she started working at New York State Department of Tax and Finance, retiring in 1994.   During retirement years, Owen and Myrt wintered in Florida with three of her siblings and their spouses for many years.

She stayed in shape all her life, taking long walks in the neighborhood, and participating in exercise classes. Myrtle always loved music, art, and flowers. She played the ukelin, cello, and piano. She sang with the Suburban Sounds for many years. She enjoyed oil painting. She grew  vegetables and flowers, and you could find the fresh cut flowers on her kitchen table. In later years, she took up quilting, piecing and hand quilting more than a dozen quilts.  She baked delicious pies and rolls, made homemade applesauce and enjoyed nothing more than cooking a dinner for the entire family.  Myrtle was always dedicated to her family and loved ones.

She was pre-deceased by her husbands, Laurin and Owen and her first-born son, Don Trainer. She is also pre-deceased by her brother Alfred (Sonny) Sweet, and sisters Gertrude Adams and Deed O’Neill.

She is survived by her sons Laurin Trainer and Mark Murray and his partner Jennifer Krasney, all of Altamont and daughter Kim Bessette and her husband Tom of Delmar. Also, by daughters-in-law Carol Trainer of Spencerport and Cindy Creasy of Duanesburg and her sister Mercedes Light (Bob) of Morrisonville NY, and siblings Reggie Sweet, Judy Nelson, and Lee Sweet.

In addition, she is survived by her grandchildren Jason Trainer and his wife Marie and their children: Mya, Seth and Breah; Britt Elliot and her husband Hector and their children: Elizabeth and Sasha; Elena Murray and Connor Murray, and Jenna Bessette, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

There will be no local service. The family will hold a graveside service in Chateaugay some time in the summer. Contributions can be sent in Myrtle’s memory to the Altamont Community Food Pantry, PO Box 678, Altamont, NY 12009.