Mr. C. Murrill Colburn's Obituary
C. Murrill Colburn, 95, of Jackson (formerly of Hillsdale, MI) passed away on August 7,
2020 at Vista Grand Villa in Jackson. He was born August 12, 1924 in Muskegon,
Michigan to Cleo Merritt and Jessie M. [ Phil ] (Poulson) Colburn. Murrill spent his entire working career in the telephone industry. While still in high school, he began repairing telephones for a company in Muskegon Michigan. He served in the US Army Signal Corp on Guadalcanal in the South Pacific during WW II. Murrill returned to marry childhood sweetheart Jessie M. Genter in March, 1946. They divorced in August, 1969. Murrill’s telephone career progressively transitioned from General Telephone in Michigan and Indiana to Telephone Utilities of Pennsylvania, which later sold to ALLTEL. He converted systems from operator to dial in western Pennsylvania and Ontario, Canada, and was promoted to manage the conversion of those systems in eastern West Virginia. He ultimately returned to Michigan in 1967 as a General Field Representative in Michigan and northeastern Ohio for the US Department of Agriculture’s Rural Electrification Administration. He retired in 1986. After his retirement, he provided consulting services to telephone companies throughout Michigan, Indiana and Ohio.
On November 22, 1969, Murrill married the former Bessie L. Fisk (Hillsdale, MI) and continued to live in Hillsdale until her passing. Murrill was an active member, elder and deacon of the First Presbyterian Church, Hillsdale; Honorary Life Member of Telephone Association of Michigan; Life Member of the American Legion, DAV and VFW and Elks Lodge 1575, Hillsdale Michigan; Director, Barry County Telephone Company 1989 – 2006; Past President and Director of West Virginia Telephone Association; Past President, Secretary/Treasurer, Director and Life Member of Larry Reynolds Chapter, Independent Telephone Pioneers of America. He worked with and appeared in Pamela Peak Productions’ documentary “Voices of a Never Ending Dawn,” the story of American troops, including his father, who fought in Russia in 1918 – 1919 at the end of WWI. Murrill is survived by daughter Karen Justice of Frederick, MD and stepdaughter Joanne Schram of Kalamazoo; twin brother G. Burrill Colburn, DDS of Norton Shores and sister Sandra L. (Donald) Duiker of Kosse, TX; granddaughters Alison Reddy, Sarah Hensley, Danielle Holt, Annette Rigali, Marsha (Randy) Griggs and Katrina (Troy) Mix; and twelve great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Bessie (1/24/2007), daughter Cinda (4/24/2020), father (June,1994), mother (August, 2000), two sisters, a stepdaughter and two grandsons.
A private family viewing will take place at Van Horn Eagle Funeral Home in Hillsdale, followed by a graveside service at Oak Grove Cemetery, Section 17, in Hillsdale with an observation of his military service on Tuesday, August 11, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. The family will hold a celebration of life at a later date. In lieu of flowers, family requests contributions in his name to the Scholarship Fund of the Telecommunications Association of Michigan Foundation, Inc., 600 W. Shiawassee, Lansing, MI 48933 or the Communications Fund at Hillsdale First Presbyterian Church, Hillsdale, MI for video or audio improvements.
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