Murna Jean Christofferson Raff
11 Jun 1936 - 14 Mar 2015
© Strode Funeral Home
Reprinted with permission

Murna Jean Raff, 78, passed away Saturday, March 14, 2015 in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Her funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Friday morning, March 20. Reverend Jerl Joslin will officiate. Interment will be in Sunset Memorial Gardens. Strode Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Murna was born June 11, 1936 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to Arthur and Hildur Christofferson.

Everyone who knew her felt her warmth and caring generosity. All who met her came to love her. She gave of herself, love, time, laughter, financial support, to all who were in need. She cared about people; family, friends, neighbors, employee, lost puppies, everyone. She loved us all.

Murna came from a large family. She was the youngest of six children. She was raised in the Oklahoma oil fields of Little City. The family later moved to Madill, Oklahoma where Murna attended high school becoming band queen and graduating as salutatorian in 1954.

After a year working as a secretary, she married Lionel Mischa Raff on August 26, 1955.

In September, she entered the University of Oklahoma as a freshman mathematics major. In 1957 the couple moved to Champaign, Illinois where Murna obtained her B.S. degree in mathematics from the University of Illinois in 1959. After graduation she obtained a position as a professional digital computer programmer to support the family.

Her daughter Debra Annette was born in Urbana, Illinois in 1962. In 1963, the new family moved to New York City where her son, Aaron Michael was born in 1964. In August of that year, the family moved to Stillwater, Ok when Lionel took a position as an assistant professor at OSU.

Murna was a full-time mother and homemaker during her children’s younger years. In 1978, she became an owner and operator of a small business which she built into a thriving enterprise over the next 37 years. During this period, she continued as a perfect mother. Every child in the neighborhood played at her home. She was a generous supporter of many civic organizations.

She was a patron of Town and Gown, the Humane Society, the Sheerar Museum, and a Girl Scout Leader. In her later years, she continued to support the Girl Scouts with generous donations. Murna loved to read and play bridge. She became a bronze life master in the American Contract Bridge League.

Her only grandchild, Mara Alexandra Katcher, was born in 1996. Mara became the light of Murna’s life. She traveled to Shawnee to visit her twice a week for a year. Afterwards, she continued to visit for a sleep over every week for 15 years. Murna also arranged a weekly meeting for her extended family called “Monday Lunch”. Everyone who could would meet at a different restaurant each week to talk and keep in touch.

Murna was preceded in death by her parents, Arthur and Hildur Christofferson, her sisters Vergie Mock, Mildred George, and Lavona Hard.

She is survived by her loving husband Lionel, her daughter Debra, Debra’s husband Michael Katcher, granddaughter Mara, and her son Aaron and his wife Lyne. She is also survived by her sister Mavis Daniel, her brother Doyle Christofferson, and numerous nephews, nieces and great nephews and nieces.

If desired, donations may be made to the charity of your choice in Murna’s name. Condolences may be emailed to the family and an online obituary may be viewed by visiting www.strodefh.com.

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