Murray was born in New York City in 1923. He graduated from the College of the City of New York with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry before joining the Navy in 1944 where he served as Executive Officer on the U.S.S. Roberts. He was a research chemist for and then President of Hexagon Laboratories, a pharmaceutical manufacturing company and then became head of North American operations for Boeringer Ingelheim. Murray studied advanced chemistry at the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn. Pursuing his lifelong love of music, he studied in the evening division of the Julliard School and in 1967 composed an entire Jewish service entitled “Shiray Emeth,” which was performed at the American Cantorial Society. After retiring, he divided his time between Florida and New England.