Bryan Murray

Bryan Murray Greenshields was born March 24th, 1949 in Beeston, Nottingham, England to Joseph and Matilda (Tilly) Greenshields (ne Dabell). He left this earth for his Heavenly Home on Friday, January 24th 2020, at the age of 70, after a 15-year battle with Kidney Cancer. Bryan was at the Halifax Hospice Center in Orange City with his wife of 25 years by his side, when he passed.
Bryan lived a life most people only dream of. From the time he was 11 years old, he exhibited an interest and love of history, obtaining books from libraries in the UK and US to help soak up the knowledge he craved. This would lead him later in life to choosing a different path that the one he started out on. 
Apprenticed at the age of 15, he became a well-known painter and paper hanger around the Beeston and Nottingham area while he lived there. During his 2 years of military service, where he fought in both the Yemen, and during the Vietnam Conflict, he obtained the rank of Sargent, and received decorations for heroism above and beyond the call of duty. But Bryan came home to a changed world. The adjustment was difficult, but as always, Bryan made the best of a bad situation.
He made the most of his life from that point on, taking advantage of every opportunity presented to him. Bryan dropped Greenshields off the end of his name, and with a legal name change became Bryan Murray for the rest of his life. He had his mother's blessing on this. 
Bryan became a session drummer with the 4th largest studio in the UK at the time when music was changing, when Rock 'n Roll was being accepted as popular music. He had many fascinating stories about meeting this famous person or that one, which brought great joy to the listener. Bryan always had a good story to tell to anyone who would listen. He continued to paint and hang wallpaper, even owning his own business for several years.
In 1976, Bryan Murray received his first commission to paint 3-dimensional art, or as he would call them, Historical Miniatures.It would become a life-long hobby and at times a source of income, which he enjoyed thoroughly and shared within the Wargaming community, both in the UK and US. From one advertisement, he received work for two years, which was both a reflection on his skill and talent, and the popularity of the hobby. 
As a 26-year-old, Bryan decided to go back to school for his PHd in history. At the time, the school offered a Roosevelt Scholarship, giving Bryan the opportunity to travel the US, where he could walk the Battlefields of the American Civil War, and see first hand where the conflict occurred. Bryan wrote his Dissertation on the Reconstruction period in that year in the US, and met his current wife for the first time.
After receiving his PHd from Sheffield University in 1979, he met and married Wendy Young. Two sons were born to the couple, Richard, born in 1980, and James born in 1984. They were the light of his life.
In 1993, while on a second trip to the US, Bryan met Denice for the 2nd time, and decided to immigrate to the US, making the US his adopted country, to fulfill a lifelong dream of his. The couple were married on November 22, 1994 in Myrtle Beach, SC, where they resided at the time. After living in Arizona for a few years, the couple settled in the Central Florida area, residing in Deltona at the time of Bryan's death.
Bryan is survived by his wife, Denice (Sutton) Murray, Deltona, children, Shane Fletcher, Richard Murray, James Murray, all residing in the UK; stepdaughter Megan Carlson, Hillsboro, OR, and stepson Jeff Carlson, Andover IL, brothers, John Greenshields, and Mark Murray both of Nottingham, UK, nieces and nephews, father-in-law Hurley B Sutton, mother-in-law Carole Sutton, both of East Moline, IL. He was preceeded in death by his stepdaughter, Rhonda Carlson, brother, Roger Greenshields, and  parents, Joseph and Matilida Greenshields.
Memorial Contributions may be made to the family, or to the American Cancer Society.
The Celebration of Life for Bryan will be held on Wednesday, February 5th at 1:00 pm at the Halifax Hospice Center, 1625 Veteran's Memorial Parkway, Orange City, FL. with Pastor Richard Krieg, officiating. A reception will follow at Olive Garden, 2530 Enterprise Rd., Orange City, FL
 

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