Joel Francis Murray, Esq, (1985 - 2024) - ForeverMissed.com Online Memorials

Let the memory of Joel be with us forever.

38 years old
Born on August 14, 1985 in Portland, Oregon, United States
Passed away on June 26, 2024 in Vancouver, Washington, United States

This Memorial Website was created in memory of our loved one, Joel F Murray, a remarkable soul who touched the lives of many, who passed away surrounded by his family on June 26, 2024, in Vancouver, Washington at the age of 38. His departure has left a void in the lives of those who were fortunate enough to know him. Born on August 14, 1985, in Portland Oregon, to Francis (Frank) Murray and Jean Rushing (Macfarlane), Joel's journey was one of passion and dedication.
The family has set up this memorial website in Joel's honor and we encourage your photo contributions and comments.

Joel Murray Celebration of Life Memorial

Date:
Sunday, September 8, 2024
2pm to 5pm

Location:
Providence Academy Ballroom
(Downtown Vancouver)
400 E. Evergreen Blvd.,
Vancouver, WA 98660
https://www.historictrustproperties.org/property/providence-academy

We invite you to join us in Celebrating the Life and Memory of our beloved son, Joel Murray, who passed away on June 26, 2024.
Joel brought joy and love to everyone who knew him. We want to honor his memory with a gathering filled with love, laughter, music and cherished memories. We will be sharing our fond memories of Joel and encourage you to share yours as well. There will be some live music featuring songs by some of Joel’s favorite artists.
Light Snacks, Appetizers and Non-Alcoholic Beverages will be provided.
Please RSVP via email at fmurray24.7@gmail.com type "Joel Murray Memorial RSVP" in the Subject line.

Memorial Parking:
Parking is available at Providence Academy's main parking lot off Evergreen Blvd. If additional parking is needed, the Vancouver Public Library across the street provides free parking. There is also street parking surrounding the area, which is always free on the weekends. ADA access is located at the Northeast Entrance off of the main parking lot.

In Lieu of flowers, please donate to your favorite charity in Joel's honor.

With Love,

Frank Murray and Family
Jean Rushing and Family

Joel Francis Murray - Obituary

Joel Francis Murray, a remarkable soul who touched the lives of many, passed away surrounded by his family on June 26, 2024, in Vancouver, Washington at the age of 38. His departure has left a void in the lives of those who were fortunate enough to know him. Born on August 14, 1985, in Portland Oregon, to Francis (Frank) Murray and Jean Rushing (Macfarlane), Joel's journey was one of passion and dedication.

After graduating from Tumwater High School (2003) , he proudly obtained degrees from the University of Washington, BA in Political Science with Honors (2007) , the London School of Economics and Political Science, MSc in Philosophy and Public Policy (2008), and the University of California, Davis, School of Law, J.D. (2011) . During law school, Joel was a member of the UC Davis Law Review, and completed his ﬁnal year of law school in Washington, DC while chairing a national political organization as President (Law School Democrats of America), completing an externship and fellowship in the United States Senate , and ﬁnishing law school at the Georgetown University Law Center (2011) . Joel published two law journal articles and taught multiple continuing legal education (CLE) seminars.

Following graduation from law school, in 2011 Joel joined MDK Law , a business law ﬁrm located in downtown Bellevue, Washington . There, he was exposed to a wide variety of practice areas, however, Joel primarily focused on legal issues aﬀecting small and medium-sized businesses, as well as investors in and owners of closely held businesses including corporations, LLCs, partnerships and similar business entities.

Joel had a diverse academic, legal and professional background. Joel offered legal counsel and services on matters involving Administrative Law and Appeals of rulings from State and Federal Agencies, Business law, Campaign Finance and Political Law, Civil and Commercial Litigation, Election Law, Employment law, Government Affairs and Legislation, Hospitality Law, Liquor and Cannabis law, Local Government and Land Use law, Real Estate law, Tax law, Trademark law, Transportation law, and related practice areas to meet the needs of businesses of varying sizes and industries.

Joel founded JFM Law in 2019 ( www.jfmlaw.org) utilizing his diverse background, providing legal counsel and services to businesses of all industries and sizes throughout Clark County, King County, Pierce County and Washington State. JFM Law was originally based in Tacoma, Washington, however, in 2021 Joel relocated to Vancouver, Washington where he sustained his practice until he passed in June 2024.

In addition to maintaining JFM Law, Joel joined the Vancouver, Washington law firm, McKean Smith, from 2022 to 2023 , where his primary practice areas were Administrative Law and Appeals, Business Law and Commercial Litigation, Election Law, Government Affairs and Legislation, Hospitality, Liquor and Cannabis, Local Government and Land Use, Real Estate, State and Local Taxation, Transportation and Logistics.

Joel was a lifelong resident of the Pacific Northwest and advocate for the continued economic growth of Clark County, Washington State and the Pacific Northwest. He was a licensed member of the Washington State Bar Association and practiced law for over twelve years with a focus on assisting businesses and their owners overcome the diverse and ever-changing legal challenges and needs that arise within the course of doing business.

Over the years, Joel served in a variety of community and leadership-oriented positions. He served as student body president of his high school. As an undergraduate at the University of Washington, he chaired a 30,000 member plus student organization that advocated for increased federal and state funding for higher education, was active in student government, helped re-found and served as vice-president of his social fraternity (Phi Kappa Tau, University of Washington Chapter) , and worked on multiple statewide ballot measure campaigns in support of public education.

Throughout his life, Joel was interested in local, state and national politics. Having run a national political organization during law school, Joel continued to be active in state as well as federal politics, and maintained relationships with local, state and federal current and former elected oﬃcials, pundits, and other politically engaged individuals.

Joel was not only a brilliant legal mind, but also a person who was very well-read, an exceptional writer, passionate about politics, fascinated by dictators, and loved music: particularly Paul McCartney, The Beatles and the Rolling Stones. His primary interests included University of Washington Athletics, golf, current and foreign aﬀairs, aerospace and defense policy, technology, politics and political satire, economic and political philosophy, new urbanism/mixed use and transit-oriented development, travel, New Orleans, the Salish Sea, The Economist and The New Yorker. Joel was also kindhearted and had an admiration for the Puget Sound and a love for animals. To his family and friends, Joel was cherished for his eccentric interests and unique sense of humor.

In the wake of his untimely passing, Joel leaves behind a large circle of loved ones: including his parents, Jean (James) Rushing and Frank (Sherri) Murray, sisters Jessica (Ethan) Crisp and Jenna Rushing, aunt Mary Macfarlane, uncle Thom Macfarlane, uncle Jeff Murray, aunt Kay Fell and grandmother Elizabeth (Betty) Murray, as well as many cousins, extended family and close friends. As per his final wishes, Joel's ashes will be scattered at his family's cabin on the Puget Sound during a private ceremony.

A Celebration of Life Memorial will be held at the Providence Academy Ballroom in Downtown Vancouver, WA on Sunday, September 8, 2024, 2pm to 5pm. The family has created a memorial website in Joel’s honor at www.forevermissed.com/joel-francis-murray, details of the Celebration of Life Memorial will be available on the website, please feel free to contribute your photo/video memories and thoughts of Joel.
In Lieu of flowers, please donate to the charity of your choice in Joel’s name.
Joel, your memory remains forever in our hearts, never forgotten and always loved. Rest in peace.

Tributes

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New

September 3

Joel had a passion and a tenderness for others, a boldness that occasionally stopped the show, and a brilliant intellect—and innocence—that I found incredible and enlightening. He know things that others did not, and he wasn’t afraid of speaking his mind. To be bold, and brave, and to care for others—is special, and Joel was special.

I don’t know that I’ll ever know how to make sense of tragedy like this, or that we’re supposed to; but I do take solace in knowing that even the life that ends way too soon is eternal in the memories it leaves behind.

Joel is remembered in many of us and so too is his legacy.

New

September 3

I am so sorry and shocked by the news. Joel was a civic engagement warrior. We became good friends upon working together on the Simple Majority for School Levies campaign in 2007, which we won by thinnest of margins, a testament to our hard work and collaboration. Joe's intelligence and great sense of humor and camraderie will be sorely missed. My heartfelt condolences to his family.

August 25

Joel was one of my absolute favorite people I met at Tumwater High School. We took a lot of classes together over the years (often sat right by one another with alphabetical seating charts) and we worked together on a number of group projects. The class that stands out most was AP Government in our senior year. Joel's obvious passion and enthusiasm for law & politics enriched the experience for everyone and honestly made it feel more like a college Political Science class than a high school class. He could easily have taught the class himself, and sometimes it felt like he was doing just that. His presentation on the whole story behind "if it doesn't fit, you must acquit" still stands out as my favorite presentation I saw in high school.

In addition to being very smart and hard-working, Joel was a genuinely kind, open-minded, and good-natured person. Having that type of strong reputation, it was obvious that he would get elected ASB president once he announced his intention to run. He was also really funny. He especially used to crack me up when talking about his Portland Trailblazers (also known as the "Jail Blazers" at the time, which he found hilarious) and his impression of Rasheed Wallace's "both teams played hard" press conference had me laughing for days.

Our paths also frequently crossed at UW. Joel's fraternity was about a half block from my house at the time, and it was always fun to run into him at social gatherings or at a UW football or basketball game. We would always make a point to chat for a while to catch up and talk about politics or sports. It was great seeing Joel apply his positive and open-minded outlook to try everything that the college experience had to offer. It was clear that he was really coming into his own during these years.

We stayed in touch through our early-20s, often through him inviting me to politics-oriented meetups. Even though we had different political orientations, Joel created a great environment for open and friendly debate and it was always an excellent time. I honestly feel like American politics would be so much better off if more people were more like Joel. I always hoped that he would run for office one day and he would have 100% got my vote.

Knowing Joel's interests and aspirations, it makes me VERY happy to see that he accomplished so much in these areas. It's very rare for someone to find their passion early on, make an ambitious plan to achieve it, then exceed those expectations in their 30s. That his aspirations involved helping others instead of just focusing on personal achievement is no surprise. Very very impressive.

I will always remember Joel fondly.

August 22

I am so sorry to hear this heartbreaking news. My condolences to Joel's family. He was not only fiercely intelligent but also genuinely kind.

August 22

Thanks Joel. We will miss you. Mike

August 22

I am truly blessed to have known Joel Murray for the last 16 years. At UC Davis Law School he was very active in the Democratic Law Students Association with me and I got to see his passion and care for others on full display.

After law school, he and I worked on multiple cases together. He assisted my firm, based in California, with Washington cases and vice versa. He was a fantastic advocate. I have lost not just a friend but a valued colleague as well.

My condolences to all his family and other friends. I will always think of him every time a classic rock song comes on — I last saw him when he came to the Bay Area for a Paul McCartney concert. He must have been one of the youngest fans there, but the old soul told me he felt right at home.

August 21

I'm so sorry to hear of Joel's passing. He was in our wedding, and just...he was always such a sweet guy. I wish I had gotten to talk with him more.

August 21

Sending my deepest condolences to Joel's family. It was evident in High School how smart Joel was, and his remarkable career is testament to that intellect and his passions. I'm so sorry for your loss.

August 9

I went to law school with Joel and always admired his intelligence and kind nature. It is a shock to learn that he is gone. Far too young and far too soon. My deepest condolences to his parents and family on this tremendous loss.

August 9

I knew Joel through our work to co-lead a political club in law school. I admired his passion for progressive and inclusive values and ability to successfully balance school with the extracurricular responsibility. I extend my condolences to Joel’s loved ones; may his memory be a blessing to you all.

July 20

Though it is difficult for me to write this, I am grateful to Joel for the 20+ years of friendship that we’ve had. Joel was a selfless human being who looked out for his friends and stood up to what he felt to be unjust. I always respected his perspectives on legal and political matters as well as his deep subject matter expertise on the ruling family of North Korea. Joel served his community with a passion, both as an attorney and helping with multiple political campaigns. I will miss the many chats we’ve had about geo-politics, business, UW football, and everything in between. Joel was a truly genuine person, and I will always treasure his kindness and friendship.

July 10

I always appreciated Joel's interest in politics and belief in democracy. He always had a wry comment about the state of affairs. He very much wanted to help his clients. And he had excellent taste in music, which I garner from stories he shared he owed in no small amount to his father. My thoughts go out to his family.

July 10

You will be missed.

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Gallery

Winter 1988 Joel is about 3 1/2 years old

Winter 1988 Joel with Grandma Kitty and Uncle Jeff

Feb. 1996 Joel with sisters Jenna and Jessica

Joel with Grandma Kitty about 2 years old

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Joel's Academic and Professional Law Career

July 3

This is a summary of Joel's Academic and Professional Law career accomplishments.

Joel Francis Murray-Obituary Aug 14, 1985 to June 26, 2024

August 16

Joel Francis Murray, a remarkable soul who touched the lives of many, passed away surrounded by his family on June 26, 2024, in Vancouver, Washington at the age of 38. His departure has left a void in the lives of those who were fortunate enough to know him. Born on August 14, 1985, in Portland Oregon, to Francis (Frank) Murray and Jean Rushing (Macfarlane), Joel's journey was one of passion and dedication.

After graduating from Tumwater High School (2003), he proudly obtained degrees from the University of Washington, BA in Political Science with Honors (2007), the London School of Economics and Political Science, MSc in Philosophy and Public Policy (2008), and the University of California, Davis, School of Law, J.D. (2011). During law school, Joel was a member of the UC Davis Law Review, and completed his ﬁnal year of law school in Washington, DC while chairing a national political organization as President (Law School Democrats of America), completing an externship and fellowship in the United States Senate, and ﬁnishing law school at the Georgetown University Law Center (2011). Joel published two law journal articles and taught multiple continuing legal education (CLE) seminars.

Following graduation from law school, in 2011 Joel joined MDK Law, a business law ﬁrm located in downtown Bellevue, Washington. There, he was exposed to a wide variety of practice areas, however, Joel primarily focused on legal issues aﬀecting small and medium-sized businesses, as well as investors in and owners of closely held businesses including corporations, LLCs, partnerships and similar business entities.

Joel had a diverse academic, legal and professional background. Joel offered legal counsel and services on matters involving Administrative Law and Appeals of rulings from State and Federal Agencies, Business law, Campaign Finance and Political Law, Civil and Commercial Litigation, Election Law, Employment law, Government Affairs and Legislation, Hospitality Law, Liquor and Cannabis law, Local Government and Land Use law, Real Estate law, Tax law, Trademark law, Transportation law, and related practice areas to meet the needs of businesses of varying sizes and industries.

Joel founded JFM Law in 2019 (www.jfmlaw.org) utilizing his diverse background, providing legal counsel and services to businesses of all industries and sizes throughout Clark County, King County, Pierce County and Washington State. JFM Law was originally based in Tacoma, Washington, however, in 2021 Joel relocated to Vancouver, Washington where he sustained his practice until he passed in June 2024.

In addition to maintaining JFM Law, Joel joined the Vancouver, Washington law firm, McKean Smith, from 2022 to 2023, where his primary practice areas were Administrative Law and Appeals, Business Law and Commercial Litigation, Election Law, Government Affairs and Legislation, Hospitality, Liquor and Cannabis, Local Government and Land Use, Real Estate, State and Local Taxation, Transportation and Logistics.

Joel was a lifelong resident of the Pacific Northwest and advocate for the continued economic growth of Clark County, Washington State and the Pacific Northwest. He was a licensed member of the Washington State Bar Association and practiced law for over twelve years with a focus on assisting businesses and their owners overcome the diverse and ever-changing legal challenges and needs that arise within the course of doing business.

Over the years, Joel served in a variety of community and leadership-oriented positions. He served as student body president of his high school. As an undergraduate at the University of Washington, he chaired a 30,000 member plus student organization that advocated for increased federal and state funding for higher education, was active in student government, helped re-found and served as vice-president of his social fraternity (Phi Kappa Tau, University of Washington Chapter), and worked on multiple statewide ballot measure campaigns in support of public education.

Throughout his life, Joel was interested in local, state and national politics. Having run a national political organization during law school, Joel continued to be active in state as well as federal politics, and maintained relationships with local, state and federal current and former elected oﬃcials, pundits, and other politically engaged individuals.

Joel was not only a brilliant legal mind, but also a person who was very well-read, an exceptional writer, passionate about politics, fascinated by dictators, and loved music: particularly Paul McCartney, The Beatles and the Rolling Stones. His primary interests included University of Washington Athletics, golf, current and foreign aﬀairs, aerospace and defense policy, technology, politics and political satire, economic and political philosophy, new urbanism/mixed use and transit-oriented development, travel, New Orleans, the Salish Sea, The Economist and The New Yorker. Joel was also kindhearted and had an admiration for the Puget Sound and a love for animals. To his family and friends, Joel was cherished for his eccentric interests and unique sense of humor.

In the wake of his untimely passing, Joel leaves behind a large circle of loved ones: including his parents, Jean (James) Rushing and Frank (Sherri) Murray, sisters Jessica (Ethan) Crisp and Jenna Rushing, aunt Mary Macfarlane, uncle Thom Macfarlane, uncle Jeff Murray, aunt Kay Fell and grandmother Elizabeth (Betty) Murray, as well as many cousins, extended family and close friends. As per his final wishes, Joel's ashes will be scattered at his family's cabin on the Puget Sound during a private ceremony.

A Celebration of Life Memorial will be held at the Providence Academy Ballroom in Downtown Vancouver, WA on Sunday, September 8, 2024, 2pm to 5pm. The family has created a memorial website in Joel’s honor at www.forevermissed.com/joel-francis-murray details of the Celebration of Life Memorial will be available on the website, please feel free to contribute your photo/video memories and thoughts of Joel.
In Lieu of flowers, please donate to the charity of your choice in Joel’s name.
Joel, your memory remains forever in our hearts, never forgotten and always loved. Rest in peace.

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