John Louis Murad Obituary

March 1, 2025

John Louis Murad, 92, of Dallas, Texas, passed away on Saturday, February 22, 2025. He was born on December 15, 1932 in Tyler, Texas.

John was preceded in death by his parents, Louis George Murad and Ruby Sawyer Murad.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 36 years, Sameera Hamra Murad; sons Johnny Murad (Patricia) of Ruston, LA; Philip Murad (Connie) of Grand Saline, TX; David Murad (Jake Lambert) of Swampscott, MA; and Andrew Murad of Madison, NJ. He was a devoted grandfather and great-grandfather to Chris Murad (Austin), Tyler Murad (Kaleigh), Hope Murad (Kevin Borgfeld), Maggie Murad, Ruby Murad, John Austin Murad and Rhett Louis Murad.

He is also survived by his brother Ralph Murad (Julia); sister Helen Mousa; and extended family members Dr. Sam Hamra (Sonia), Randy Massad (Julie), David Massad, Samia Smith (Chris), Raleigh Smith, Beau Smith, Haley Massad, Luke Massad, Angie Satterwhite (Andrew), Amie Wiggins (Raymond), Ryan Massad (Kelsey), Daniel Massad (Shelbi) and many cherished nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

John's lifelong passion for science and education shaped his distinguished academic career. He earned a B.A. in Biology from Austin College, followed by an M.A. in Microbiology from North Texas State University. He pursued postgraduate studies at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston and earned a Ph.D. in Microbiology from Texas A&M University in College Station. His expertise in parasitology led to his selection as one of 13 U.S. scientists among 40 international delegates to participate in the 2nd Advanced Institute, a prestigious program supported by the National Science Foundation and NATO.

John dedicated his career to higher education, serving as an instructor, professor, advisor and administrator. He spent many years at Louisiana Tech University, where he served as Acting Dean of the College of Life Sciences. As a faculty sponsor for Louisiana Tech's study abroad program in Rome, he developed a deep love for Italy, later leading trips throughout the country for friends and family. After retiring from Louisiana Tech, he continued his academic contributions as a Clinical Professor of Health Care Sciences at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.

A proud Korean War veteran, John served in the U.S. Army Medical Corps before pursuing his academic career. His dedication to global education extended beyond the U.S. as a visiting professor at the Universidad Autónoma in San Luis Potosí, Mexico. He mentored UT Southwestern medical students in hands-on learning experiences. He was an active member of numerous national and international scientific societies, contributing to advancements in his field.

After retiring from academia, John engaged in new opportunities to learn and teach. He pursued a passion for travel, sharing his love of history and culture, particularly in Italy and Lebanon. Never one to slow down, he became a licensed medical neuromuscular therapist, helping clients find relief and comfort well into his later years. His commitment to lifelong learning and service never faded, and he took great joy in making a difference in people's lives.

A lifelong Presbyterian, John was a Ruling Elder at both Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church in Dallas and University Presbyterian Church in Ruston, LA. He remained deeply involved in his church community, teaching an adult Sunday School class as recently as last spring. His dedication to faith and service extended to various leadership and volunteer roles over the years.

A memorial service will be held at Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church (9800 Preston Road, Dallas, TX 75230) at 11 a.m. on Thursday, March 13, 2025.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Music Ministry at Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church (9800 Preston Road, Dallas, TX 75230; phpc.org) or Literacy Achieves in Dallas (P.O. Box 150390, Dallas, TX 75315; literacyachieves.org).