‘Truly a diplomat.’ Sam Murray, family man and long-time Port Royal mayor, has died

Samuel Murray, Port Royal’s mayor for more than 20 years — who was instrumental in the town’s development into a cool and coastal community — has died, just five months after he was awarded South Carolina’s highest civilian honor. He was 82.

Between 1995 and 2019, Murray was the mayor of Port Royal and served on the Town Council for 17 years before that. He died Saturday at Coastal Carolina Hospital in Hardeeville, of complications of dialysis, his wife, Charlotte Murray, told the Beaufort Gazette and Island Packet.

“His main goal in life was to do good, always be honest and trust in the Lord,” Charlotte Murray said. “He always had a kind word to say to his fellow man and would be the first to stop his car to help change a tire.”

In fact, his wife said, Murray did stop to help a person change a tire a week before he went to the hospital.

The Town of Port Royal issued a statement saying it was saddened to hear of the passing of Murray, who served the town for 41 years. Murray, it said, “will be greatly missed. “

“He was jut a fantastic person to work for,” Town Manager Van Willis said Wednesday.

One of Murray’s best qualities, Willis recalled, was his low-key demeanor. He had a calming affect, he said, when he stepped into a room.

“He was always, always steady, calm, in the face of just about any sort of challenge,” Willis said. “I worked for him for 20 year and never once saw him angry.”

But he was not afraid, Willis added, to stand up and speak his mind to residents who held different opinions.

“He was truly a diplomat in terms of pushing folks together to reconcile or address their differences,” Willis said.

Murray, who was an elementary school principal, moved to Beaufort County in 1962, fresh out of college. He never left. His only other job, said his wife, a teacher and school guidance counselor, was being the mayor.

As mayor, Murray helped usher in the long-awaited sale of the Port of Port Royal to private developers and welcomed Port Royal’s role in a national park dedicated to the Reconstruction era. He also helped oversee Port Royal’s population boom as the town grew outside of its downtown village, and as new housing subdivisions went up in the community that is home to two military bases.

On June 9, in a surprise ceremony at Pinckney Porter’s Chapel at Naval Heritage Park in Port Royal, the town and state lawmakers surprised Murray with South Carolina’s highest civilian honor — The Order of the Palmetto, which is presented in recognition of a lifetime of extraordinary achievement, service and contributions on a national or statewide scale. The award, issued by the governor, is presented only to natives or residents of South Carolina.

“I’m not one of them people who care about awards,” Murray told The Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette at the time. “I just try to do what I can for the people of Port Royal.”

Charlotte Murray said Murray was “totally shocked” to receive the award.

In November 2015, after Murray won his sixth term as mayor, he told the newspapers that he would “Go back to work as usual. We’ve got a council meeting tomorrow night.”

One of Murray’s most important stances during his career, Willis said, came when the town proposed redevelopment of the historic village area and updated its code as part of that process, which sparked opposition.

“That was a major undertaking and they had several hundred people in the room opposed to effort,” Willis said. “But it was an integral decision that redirected the fate of the town. I think the results have borne out his courage and the council’s courage to stand by that sea change.”

Today, the town dubs itself as “cool, coastal and far from ordinary,” and development of the Port of Port Royal is on the verge taking off.

Murray’s calm demeanor leading the town wasn’t just for public consumption. Personally, her husband was humble and his main goal in life was to worship God and love his family, Charlotte Murray said.

“We as husband and wife made a pact to do something good and positive each day, “ she said. “That was Sam Murray, my husband.”

Murray left a legacy of community service, Charlotte Murray added, noting he could not say “no,” whether it be requests to speak or for vegetables from the garden, money or advice.

His advice, she said, was always positive and honest — and legal.

Viewing will be at Marshel’s Wright-Donaldson Home For Funerals, 1814 Greene St. in Beaufort, Thursday, from 4-7 p.m. Thursday. A celebration of life will be at the Bethesda Christian Fellowship, 36 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, St Helena Island, at 3 p.m. Friday.

Services will be live streamed via the Bethesda Christian Fellowship’s Facebook page.