Lawyer Wayne Murray was avid boater, skier

At 6-feet-3-inches tall, Wayne Murray was a force to be reckoned with in the courtroom. With his stark black hair and his keen eyes, he made his presence known as a trial lawyer in Seattle for almost 50 years.

But his commanding spirit wasn't limited to the courtroom. The former FBI agent never turned from what he set his mind to, whether that was carpentry, mechanics, skiing or sailing. Mr. Murray never backed down from a challenge, his son Matt said.

Wayne Murray died Thursday of a stroke. He was 86.

A Windermere resident, Mr. Murray graduated from Queen Anne High School and went on to graduate magna cum laude from the University of Washington Law School in 1939.

During the Depression, Mr. Murray was able to find a job and earn $25 a month. But soon he grew restless, and was hired by the FBI.

In his four years there, he received at least five commendations from FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover.

Also while there, he met his future wife, Mary. After he worked one year in Olympia as assistant attorney general to Washington state, the couple settled in Seattle's Windermere neighborhood and Mr. Murray got a job in the firm Todd, Holman, Spague and Allen, which is now known as Perkins Coie.

"He was very, very smart, and that's what made him a good lawyer," said his son Matt, who became a lawyer himself.

And although he describes Mr. Murray as imposing, Matt says his father loved his family and was a "wonderful person, who made everybody around him a better person."

Mary Murray said, "His mother promised me before I married him there would never be a dull moment." Together for 57 years, the Murrays had three children.

An avid boater, Mr. Murray was at one time the North American champion in 6-meter sailboat racing and won the Thomas Lipton trophy, which still sits at the Seattle Yacht Club.

While boating, Mr. Murray met Roger Dunham and together the friends began their own law firm, Murray and Dunham, in 1952.

"Every day was a pleasure," Dunham said. "When you practice together for 50 years, you get to be pretty good friends."

During the 1970s, Mr. Murray's son Matt joined the firm as well. For the last 20 years, Matt watched his fun-loving father work as an intense, adamant lawyer. Although his father broke his leg at least four years in a row while skiing, he said his father refused to stop skiing.

"I think it's fair to say that he worked hard and played hard," Matt said.

Mr. Murray is also survived by another son, Robert Murray, and daughter Susan Showman of Seattle.

His remains will be cremated, and a private service will be held Thursday. A celebration of Mr. Murray's life will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Friday at the Seattle Yacht Club, 1807 E. Hamlin St., Seattle, WA 98112.

Remembrances may be made to the Medic One Foundation, Box 359747, 325 Ninth Ave., Seattle, WA 98104.

Lisa Rivera's phone message number is 206-464-3665. Her e-mail address is lrivera@seattletimes.com.