Dr. Frances V. McCann Murraydied August 1, 2012 at her home.

Before her retirement from the Dartmouth Medical School, she had held the positions of Professor of Physiology and Consultant in Medicine, Research Scientist at the Norris Cotton Cancer Center, and served on the associate consulting staff and Board of Overseers of the Hitchcock Hospital. She was an established Investigator of the American Heart Association and served on the National Institutes of Health Physiology Study Section, the research panel of the National Science Foundation and the National Research council.

Her research work involved studies that helped establish the role of calcium in the heart and nervous systems, and contributed to an understanding of the factors that initiate and control electrical signaling in living cells. She carried out numerous studies at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, MA, where she was elected to membership in the Corporation.

She was a founding trustee of the Montshire Museum of Science, a trustee of Lebanon College, a member of the League of Women Voters, a deacon of the Church of Christ at Dartmouth College and was active in a number of roles in the Piermont Congregational Church. Teaching and serving in the ILEAD program brought great fulfillment to her love of scholarship. She loved the sea, the mountains and her dogs. She was an avid skier, hiker, sailor and kayaker. She had a strong interest in the Upper Valley Humane Society, the Howe Library and the Upper Valley Land Trust and Piermont Library.

She was the widow of Elden J. Murray, President of the Dartmouth Savings Bank who predeceased her.

Survivors include a step-son, Wayne E. Murray of Portsmouth, NH, a step-daughter, Barbara Murray of Farmington, NH, step-grandchildren, Brian and Brigid Murray, a great grandson, August Hanson Murray, a sister, Elizabeth Schweir, a brother, Edward J. McCann who predeceased her and nephews and nieces.

Visitation will be held on Friday, August 3, 2012 from 6:00-8:00 PM at the Rand-Wilson Funeral Home on School Street in Hanover, NH. A private graveside service will be held at the convenience of the family. A memorial service will be held at the Montshire Museum in Norwich, VT in the fall and will be announced.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory may be made to Frances' favorite charities.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Rand-Wilson Funeral Home of Hanover, NH.