William Murnane, Noted Historian,
Professor
Dies In Tennessee at 55
December 16, 2000
Chicago Sun-Times
Long before William J. Murnane Jr. became a prominent Egyptologist and historian, he knew he was born to be an expert on ancient history.
"He had an insatiable curiosity about absolutely everything, and a spirit of generosity and sharing that was truly infectious," said W. Raymond Johnson, field director of the Epigraphic Survey, which photographs and produces line drawings of inscriptions and relief scenes in major Egyptian temples and tombs.
Mr. Murnane died of heart failure on Nov. 17 (2000) in Memphis. He was 55.
"He will be terribly missed," said Johnson. "His loss is a terrible blow to Egyptology, and we--his friends--are truly devastated by his passing."
Born in New York, he grew up in Venezuela. Mr. Murnane received his bachelor's degree in 1966 from St. Anselm's College in New Hampshire. He moved on to the University of Chicago in 1973.
The university published his dissertation in 1977, and the U. of C. published it as Ancient Egyptian Coregencies. A new edition of his work was being prepared at the time of Mr. Murnane's death.
Author or editor of 12 books, he wrote hundreds of articles on ancient history and culture. His Penguin Guide to Ancient Egypt was published in 1983 and was revised several times.
In 1986, Mr. Murnane was appointed visiting associate professor of Egyptology at the University of California at Berkeley, and the next year he joined the department of history at the University of Memphis, where he taught courses on Egyptology and world civilization.
He also conducted research seminars and was promoted to full professor.
Survivors include his mother, Marie. A memorial service was held at St. Thomas the Apostle Church near the University of Chicago.
Professor Margaret Murnane Honored as MacArthur Scholar
Professor Margaret Murnane, a native of Limerick and a contributor to the Murnane Web Site, has recently been selected as a MacArthur Foundation Fellow.
You can learn more about Margaret and the MacArthur Foundation by Clicking Here.
Stephanie Murnane Enjoys Spotlight In Australia Olympics
| Stephanie
Murnane, daughter of Paul and Annie Murnane of Sydney, Australia, was as close to gold,
silver and bronze medals at the recent Olympics in Sydney as any of the athletes. Stephanie was one of the medal-bearers who carried medals and flowers to the victory stands for presentation to winning athletes. As it turned out, Stephanie was the presenter of the very first gold medal presented in the Games. |
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Ceiliuradh Thiobraid Arann (A Celebration of Tipperary) Includes Murnane Web Site
The Murnanes of Tipperary, Cork and Limerick web site was one of the topics of discussion at a recent conference in Thurles, County Tipperary.
Ed Murnane was a speaker at the four-day conference (31st August - 3rd September) and discussed how genealogists are using the Internet (and family web sites) to connect with their ancestry and how this growing trend can be used to expand the Tipperary community.
You can learn more about Ceiliuradh Thiobraid Arann by Clicking Here.