The passing of Mick McMurry is a deep loss for the University of Wyoming family. The state of Wyoming and UW have been forever transformed by Mick’s generosity. Mick believed in building a better Wyoming, and the remarkable philanthropy of he and his wife, Susie, has forever changed our great university. The UW family expresses our profound gratitude.
“Just know that the lives of all Wyomingites are richer and much more pleasant for our having known him,” says former U.S. Sen. Alan Simpson, “and there are few people who leave this earthly orb that leave behind such a legacy that is so vivid and so pronounced and so plain. The generosity of Mick and Susie is all around us—every day—in all our lives. How the hell can you beat that?!”
A self-made man, Mick was known as someone with a big heart who was committed to the future of Wyoming. He was generous, kind, soft-spoken, mildmannered and humble.
His grandfather, Otto McMurry, left Greely, Colo., with his new bride seeking opportunities in the Cowboy State. Otto spent his working career at the Standard Oil Refinery. Mick’s dad, Neil, grew up in Casper, Wyo., served in World War II, and founded Rissler and McMurry, a construction company.
Mick, his brother Vic, and his sisters Carol, Susan and Gayle also grew up in Casper. After graduating from UW with a degree in business administration, Mick served in Vietnam, and then he and Vic formed McMurry Brothers Construction, which left an indelible mark in the advancement of Wyoming’s transportation network for 20 years.
McMurry then partnered with his father and John Martin to form McMurry Oil Co. In 1991, the company was founded by the purchase of three wells in the Jonah Field, and after much success the company was sold to Alberta Energy Co. (now Encana) in 2000 for approximately $613 million. McMurry then formed McMurry Energy, with holdings in the Pinedale Anticline. This company was eventually sold to Shell. McMurry then became president of Nerd Gas Co.
Integrity and hard work were always important to Mick. He believed in building a better Wyoming. “We are big fans of the University of Wyoming and the state of Wyoming,” Mick said.
“Mick touched so many lives and succeeded in so many ways—as a devoted family man, a businessman, a philanthropist,” says Gov. Matt Mead. “Whatever he was involved in, he gave his all, and that was giving a lot. His generous contributions— some big, some smaller, some publicized, some not—helped individuals, groups and communities. He often said to me, ‘I just want to build a better Wyoming,’ and those words will stay with me forever. Mick and Susie have given so much and continue to represent Wyoming at its best.”
Mick’s wife, Susie (Warburton), grew up in Hanna, Wyo., where her parents owned a restaurant, filling station, bar and motel. After receiving her degree from UW in elementary education, she taught school for a few years until she and Mick married in 1973. They have two daughters, Trudi and Jillian, as well as many foster children. Susie is a hospice volunteer and a court-appointed special advocate for foster children.
“Mick and Susie are Wyoming,” says Dave Bostrom, member and former president of the UW Board of Trustees. “They have and continue to care and share. Mick is missed, and his legacy will live forever.”
Mick’s considerable legacy includes the opening of Jonah Field, one of the most significant on-shore natural gas discoveries in the second half of the 20th century. The oil and gas field was first drilled in the 1930s, but these attempts were unsuccessful. McMurry Oil Co. rediscovered it in the 1990s.
This small oil company recognized the changing demand for energy and for “clean fuel.” Because the price of natural gas was low at the time, gas leases were inexpensive. They purchased three wells in 1991 from the Presidio Oil Co., which had not shown much promise, along with mineral leases on 25,000 BLM acres in the Jonah area.
Jonah Field’s natural gas occurs in tight rock formations. It could only be extracted with new technology that would allow free flow of the gas through the formation—called hydraulic fracturing. A well must first be drilled, and then the formations are broken and cracked with fluid or compressed gas that is forced at high pressure down the well to create channels for gas to flow. Solid material is mixed in the fracturing fluid in order to prop the channels open.
With the help of fracturing, the three wells produced two million cubic feet of natural gas per day, and this success encouraged further drilling. The company purchased more BLM gas leases, including some in the Pinedale Anticline north of Jonah Field, and more pipelines were built.
McMurry Oil Co.’s successful extraction of natural gas from Jonah Field is heralded as one of the most significant natural gas developments in continental North America in the second half of the 20th century—a turning point because of the enormous amount of production opened up by the new technologies. As a consequence, millions of tax dollars have been pumped into the Wyoming economy, which supports infrastructure, government and the university.
“Mick was so kind with his time, effort, service and resources,” says Brent Hathaway, dean of the University of Nevada-Las Vegas Lee Business School and former dean of the UW College of Business. “I was blessed to have Mick as a mentor, and he and Susie continue to inspire my efforts in higher education through their passionate desire to help the next generation of leaders. Hard work, integrity, innovation, entrepreneurial success, leadership and selfless service best describe Mick’s work, impact upon others and legacy.”
In 1998, the McMurrys established the McMurry Foundation, with the mission of building a better Wyoming and “paying it forward.” The goal of the foundation is a significant and beneficial impact on the communities within Wyoming by investing in innovative ventures, as well as establishing community programs that have the potential to make a lasting difference. The values of excellence and compassion guide the work of the McMurry Foundation. Trudi serves as director.
Through their foundation, the McMurrys have provided significant support to many projects and organizations throughout Wyoming. In its first 15 years, the McMurry Foundation awarded more than $49 million.
“Hopefully, this isn’t for several generations, but we believe we want the money to be committed when we’re gone,” McMurry told the Casper Star-Tribune in 2013. “Private foundations struggle when future generations bear the obligation, because they’re not as committed.”
In 2003, Mick was honored as Outstanding Community Member by the Boys and Girls of Central Wyoming. The McMurrys were recognized by the Associated Parents of the University of Wyoming as Wyoming Family of the Year in 2002 and received the UW President’s Cornerstone Award in 2005 and the UW Medallion Service Award in 2007. Susie received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the College of Education in 2004, and Mick was honored as a College of Business Distinguished Alumni in 2006. In 2010, Mick received the Distinguished Alumni Award from UW.
“Mick’s leadership in philanthropy and commitment to building a better Wyoming is unmatched,” says Scott Neu, chair of the UW Foundation Board of Directors. “It won’t ever be matched. He wasn’t just generous with his fortune but with his time. ‘Pay it Forward’ wasn’t just a punchline for Mick—it was a lifestyle. He helped so many people achieve what they perceived to be impossible by opening doors and connecting people. He was my friend, and I will always miss him. I feel extremely lucky to have spent a lot of time with Mick and learned from him.”
Here are a few of the UW initiatives that would not have been possible without the McMurrys’ support.
The Marian H. Rochelle Gateway Center, UW’s state-of-the-art welcoming center opened in 2014, would not have been possible without the McMurrys. Their gift of $6 million supported the McMurry Foundation Grand Atrium and McMurry Foundation UW Legacy Hall. The Grand Atrium serves as a gathering place and event space for UW’s internal and external constituencies. The Legacy Hall tells the story of UW—from its founding in 1886 through its vibrant present and on into the institution’s bright future—through dynamic and flexible visuals.
It was through the McMurrys’ support—and that of John and Mari Ann Martin—that in 2005 War Memorial Stadium underwent major improvements, and new athletic facilities such as the Indoor Practice Facility and the Wildcatter Stadium Club and Suites were built. Their support enabled new turf in 2013, and the field was renamed Jonah Field in honor of their Wyoming gas fields.
The ongoing renovations of the Arena-Auditorium were supported by the McMurrys and include new student-athlete facilities, a new court, new fan amenities and much more. Their support of the Cowboy Joe Club and other athletic initiatives helps student-athletes every day to reach their full potential in the classroom and on the field.
The McMurrys set up a matching fund that benefits the Western Thunder Marching Band, “the Pride of Wyoming,” as it supports our Cowboys and Cowgirls. The fund helps with travel expenses, graduate fellowships, uniforms, instruments and much more, not to mention inspiring others in their generosity. And this was not their first gift to the marching band.
The McMurry Fellowship in Energy Research provides much-needed fellowships to graduate students who are conducting energy-related research. Fellowships like this are vital, as graduate students do much of the work of professors’ research.
The Susan K. McMurry Nursing Strategic Investment Fund supports scholarships through the McMurry Nursing Scholars in the BRAND Program, as well as faculty in the School of Nursing.
Leadership Wyoming pulls together people who are not normally linked “to provide leaders who are committed to excellence and progress in Wyoming the opportunity to better understand general public policy issues, economic and social diversity, and the challenges facing our state and to prepare them, through shared mutual interests and the leadership skills developed, to be active in building a better Wyoming.” The McMurrys provided operation support to this invaluable program.
Other projects that they have supported include scholarships for UW students, scholarships for UW-Casper College students, College of Business Dean’s Excellence Fund, the UW Art Museum, the Ann Simpson Artmobile, Simpson Plaza, the Wyoming Technology Business Center, the University of Wyoming Conference Center and much more.
The list of the McMurrys’ generosity is never-ending. Many of UW’s upgrades and innovations simply would not have been possible without their support, not to mention their many gifts to organizations across Wyoming.
“In so many ways, Mick was larger than life,” says Ben Blalock, president and CEO of the UW Foundation. “His vision for Wyoming and UW has changed us forever. Our state and our university have been transformed by Mick and Susie. Mick and Susie are two of my best friends. In partnership with Susie, UW will continue Mick’s commitment to build a better Wyoming. I think of Mick every day. I know he is watching. I know he expects us to dream and to achieve.”
We owe Mick so much. Wyoming has been immeasurably changed for the better by Mick and Susie. Likewise, the University of Wyoming has been transformed. Mick and Susie have undoubtedly built a better Wyoming, and we will always celebrate Mick’s amazing life.
