John Murner of Bourne, whose service in the US Army Corp of Engineers included rescue operations in New York after the September 11 terrorist attacks, died on March 5 after a battle with Alzheimer’s disease. He was 69.
Born in Paterson, New Jersey, and raised in Madison, Connecticut, Mr. Murner was a member of his high school’s football and wrestling teams.
After graduating from the Portland Institute of Technology in Maine, he captained oil rig supply ships, research vessels and gambling boats before he began his career as tugmaster in the Army Corps in 1983 until his retirement in 2017.
Mr. Murner was the master of various vessels that patrolled and kept the Cape Cod Canal safe. Within hours of the September 11 attacks he sailed to New York to assist in the rescue and recovery efforts, transporting workers and equipment to Ground Zero.
After the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan, he deployed multiple times between 2002 and 2012 to support infrastructure restoration to those countries. He also volunteered in recovery efforts following Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy.
Outside of work, he was active in coaching and attending his children’s sports and extracurricular activities. In 1998 he helped launch the Bourne High School lacrosse program.
In addition to his wife of 40 years, Melissa, Mr. Murner leaves children Peter Murner and his wife, Meg, Asa Murner and his wife, Sara, and Annie Murner; six grandchildren; and four siblings.
Visiting hours will be on Monday, March 13, from 4 to 7 PM at Chapman Funerals & Cremations in West Falmouth, followed by a celebration of life at the Weary Travelers Club, 77 Valley Bars Road in Monument Beach, from 7 to 9 PM.
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Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
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