Murray Lawrence Forsvall's Obituary
Murray Lawrence Forsvall, a resident of Highland Springs, a large senior living facility in far north Dallas, Passed away on July 12th, 2023. He was 91 years old. Murray was born in Austin, Texas, at Breckenridge Hospital on September 24, 1931, to Eric Forsvall and Loraine Olsen Forsvall. He would be their only child.
Murray lived his early years in a house his parents built on what was then far north Austin on 43rd Street, an unpaved road. It backed up to the 12th hole of the old Austin Country Club.
Murray was a true Texan. He lived his whole life in Texas, with the exception of two years he spent serving in the US Army in Europe. Born and raised in Austin, he attended the University of Texas where he earned a Bachelor of Journalism degree. Murray spent the rest of 1954 working for the Sweetwater Reporter. He spent 1955 and 1956 with the US Army in Europe. In 1957, Murray worked for the San Antonio Express. Then in 1958 he accepted a job as a golf columnist for the Dallas Times Herald where he spent the next 19 years in various positions. Forsvall lived in Dallas for the rest of his life.
Throughout his life sports was a key factor, both for his own recreation and for his work and among the sports golf was front and center, more so after his mother got the house in the divorce settlement. Forsvall was very lucky to find that the famous golf teacher Harvey Penick was the pro at the Austin Country Club. He taught Forsvall the basics of a good golf grip. At age 15, Murray went on to become a finalist in the Austin City Junior golf meet, a feat he repeated later. He also went to the finals for the University of Texas championship which he often called his best-ever tournament because of the quality of the golfers he faced to get there.
Not long after he moved to Dallas, Murray met and married Edna Flaskrud, who had moved to Texas from her home in Wisconsin. During the early 1960’s and into the 1970’s Murray participated in sports car racing. His first race cars were MGs and a Porsche. Later with partner Jim Clem he drove a Lynx Formula V, qualifying for the national championships where he finished as high as 10th.
Murray and Edna had two children, Cynthia Lynn and Clinton Murray. Forsvall always said what a wonderful mother Edna was taking care of the kids while Murray worked early and late as a sportswriter. They had 19 years together before she developed lung cancer. She passed away at a far too early age of 52.
Already a developing runner, he turned to that sport both to help him get through Edna’s passing and to search for a healthier lifestyle. In the years that followed, he progressed to the stage where he thought about doing a marathon, but not before completing a half marathon. He bragged to an old friend about completing the half. She said, “Why didn’t you do the whole thing?” That bothered him so he went on a crash course to do a marathon just over a month away. It was during a 19-mile training run that an incident occurred that would change his life forever. Tiring quickly with several miles to go, a friendly lady passed him and paused for a moment to encourage him. That lady he found out later was Betty Noland whom he befriended and years later would marry.
Running and competing became a way of life for Betty and Murray. It was not only Betty, but the whole running community which embraced him and helped him forge an entirely new life. They would go on to compete in races covering all 50 states and many countries throughout the world. Murray completed 31 marathons, 75 triathlons, and 99 duathlons. He was sometimes an adventurer and sometimes a risk taker and always enjoyed the life he was living.
Murray was preceded in death by his wife Edna Forsvall. Murray is survived by his wife Betty Forsvall, daughter Cynthia Barlow and her husband Russel of Mondovi, Wisconsin, son Clint Forsvall and wife Susan of Plano, Texas. Grandkids Dallas, Russel Jr., and Tyler Barlow. Zoey and Ziggy Forsvall, and three great grandkids.
I lieu of flowers, the family would like memorial donations be made to National Multiple Sclerosis Society,
https://secure.nationalmssociety.org/
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