Steve Murra, 47, of Cedar Falls and formerly of Iowa Falls, passed away Saturday, February 20, 2016. Memorial services will be 11:00 am Thursday, Feb. 25 at the Nazareth Evangelical Lutheran Church, 7401 University Ave in Cedar Falls. Visitation will be from 10:00 am until service time on Thursday at the church. The family respectfully requests no flowers. Memorials may be directed to the family. Woodley Funeral Home, LLC of Iowa Falls is caring for Steve and his family. 641-648-7700.
Steven Lance Murra was born on September 23, 1968 to Jim and Janeice Murra in Iowa Falls, Iowa. He graduated from Iowa Falls High School with the class of 1987. He then attended Ellsworth Community College and the University of Northern Iowa, graduating with his Master's in History in 1997. On July 24, 1993 Steve was united in marriage to Jennifer Kay Gallagher at the First United Methodist Church in Iowa Falls. Jennifer and Steve were together for 28 years and she was the love of his life. Steve was a history instructor; the Midwest Women's Thunderbirds Rugby Coach and coached the UNI Women's Rugby team for 21 years.
The most important thing in Steve's life was his family. His kids meant everything to him and he spent all of his time with them. He was the best dad any child could ever ask for. He was an amazing husband and a truly unique and amazing person. He had a great sense of humor, could tell an awesome story and his laughter was infectious. Steve and Jennifer were inseparable and did everything together including coaching rugby. No one loved life more and had more fun than Steve.
Steve had a lifelong love and passion for rugby. He was a longtime coach of the exceptional Midwest U23 Women's Thunderbird program. He touched the lives of countless players and families. Steve was known to say that he learned more from those he coached then they learned from him. In addition to his Midwest coaching, he was a two-time national champion as the coach of the University of Northern Iowa women, served as president of the Iowa Rugby Union, was a member of the Society of Iowa Rugby Referees and enjoyed a career as a mullet-bearing scrum-half for the Iowa Falls RFC.
Steve is survived by his wife, Jennifer Murra of Cedar Falls, Iowa; his children, Riley Murra and Ian Murra of Cedar Falls, Iowa; parents, Jim and Janeice Murra of Iowa Falls, Iowa; brother, Curt (Mikki) Murra of Iowa City, Iowa; two sisters, Christine (Rob) Randall of Ankeny, Iowa and Cassandra Murra of Iowa Falls, Iowa; nieces and nephews: Alex and Jacob Murra, Caitlyn (Derek) Dickman, Weston and Mason Dickman, Tanner Randall, Halle Randall, Campbell, Cainan and Meadow Murra, Henry and Lauren Reiter; mother and father in-law, Craig and Marci Gallagher of Iowa Falls, Iowa; sister in-law, Melissa (Patrick) Reiter of Vancouver, WA, his grandfather-in-law, Harvey Riden of Charles City, Iowa as well as many aunts, uncles and cousins. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Ervin and Marie Harken, Gratus and Dorothy Murra, Bud and Annabelle Gallagher and Maxine Riden.