Carol Jean McMurry

It is with great sadness we announce that Carol Jean McMurry, age 74, of Loveland, CO passed away on June 1, 2019, due to complications related to cancer treatment. Her loving husband of 27 years, Pat Spieles, was by her side.

Carol was born on September 2, 1944 in Casper, WY, the daughter of the late Neil and Ellie McMurry. She attended school in Casper, graduating in 1962 from Natrona County High School. A student at Casper College and a 1966 graduate of the University of Wyoming, she worked as a librarian for most of her career and remained a devoted bibliophile her entire life. Known for her warmth, compassion, belief in life-long learning and being a proud daughter of the West, she will be dearly missed.

Carol and her first husband, Bill Seebaum married in 1966 and had two children; Matthew and Carla. Following her first marriage, Carol and Pat married in 1992. After retirement, Carol and Pat, divided their time between Loveland, Grand Lake and travelling the world. When she wasn’t restacking books at the library, working the ticket booth at the local theatre, puzzling, reading, or spoiling her grandchildren, Carol also made a lasting impact through her generous, “pay-it-forward” support of cancer research, higher education, public libraries and the arts. In addition to serving on several boards, she endowed three chairs at Children’s Hospital of Colorado, supported numerous endowments at the University of Wyoming, and made several major gifts to public radio, Opera Colorado, Loveland Opera Theatre, Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre, Loveland Public Library and several regional historical societies.

Carol is survived by her husband, Pat, as well as her daughter Carla Bankes (Paul) of Loveland CO, and her son Matthew Seebaum (Stephanie) of Centennial, CO; her stepdaughters, Andra Spieles (Andy) of Laramie, WY and Rae Ann Wheeler (Colin) of Denver, CO; and her grandchildren, Ellie Seebaum, Audrey & Julia Bankes, Morgan and Kaitlyn Cousins, Henry and Anabelle Wheeler; brother, Victor McMurry and sister, Susan Samuelson. Carol is preceded in death by her parents, sister Gayle Kennison, brother Mick McMurry and grandson, Tanner Seebaum.

A memorial service will be held 12:00 p.m. Saturday, June 29, 2019 at the Rialto Theater, Loveland, Colorado. An additional memorial service will be 12:00 p.m. Sunday, August 18, 2019 at the Rocky Mountain Repertoire Theater, Grand Lake, Colorado. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in her memory can be made to Children’s Hospital Colorado Foundation; University of Wyoming Libraries; Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre; the Wyoming Community Foundation McMurry Library Fund or a charity of your choice.