John Timothy Murnen

John Timothy “Tim” Murnen, born on December 28, 1935, in Campbell Kentucky, died on October 11, 2025. He was the fourth of five children born to Edith (Heaton) Murnen and George Joseph Murnen and lived most of his life in Toledo and Sylvania, OH. He attended Whitmer High School where he met his wife of 61 years, Patti Jane (Haverman) Murnen, who passed away in 2018.

He graduated from Bowling Green State University where he was an All-American football player inducted into their hall of fame. He played football for Coach Doyt Perry on a team that lost only two games in the 1955-57 seasons.

He was also a member of Phi Delta Theta Fraternity. He remained an avid fan of BGSU football throughout his life and listened to them beat UT the day he died. He was also a fan of the U of M, and his last sailboat was named the “Great Blue” for his love of Michigan and the great blue heron.

After college he got drafted by the Baltimore Colts and played a few years of semi-professional football with the Toledo Tornados. He then started his teaching and coaching career at Sylvania

High School. After a short time, there he was hired as the head football coach at Toledo Start High School where he coached and taught for many years. Later, he was a realtor and a landlord, and “flipped” houses before it was trendy.

He was a fun-loving, involved father who took his daughters camping, downhill skiing, and sailing on Lake Erie.

Tim and Pat’s four daughters include Susan (Jeff Ustick), Sandra (Bob McGovern), Sarah (Joy Brennan), and Amy (Christopher Kuchers, deceased).

 They also have four grandchildren: children of Sarah and Bob McIlvain, Erin McIlvain (Craig Rice) and Patrick Murnen (Charlie Lankston); and children of Sandra and Bob McGovern, Conner (Anna) and Callie McGovern (Marissa Griffin).

Tim had four great-grandchildren at the time of his death including Roland, Asher, and Salem McGovern (children of Anna and Conner McGovern); and Jordan McIlvain- Rice, daughter of Erin McIlvain and Craig Rice. He is survived by his sister Julia (Ann) Jones.

He was preceded in death by his parents and by his siblings George, Sarah (Sally), and William (Bill), and his son-in-law Christopher Kuchers.

Tim lived at Danbury Senior Living in Mt. Vernon, OH for the last two years, close to daughters Sarah and Amy and son-in-law Bob McIlvain who together played many rounds of bid euchre.

Tim and his partner Bob won many more games than they lost. Tim enjoyed the friendly residents and staff at the Danbury as well as the delicious meals (especially the pies).

Friends may join the family for visitation at Reeb Funeral Home, 5712 N. Main St., Sylvania, OH,

Sunday, October 19, 2025, from 3 pm to 6 pm. He will be interned at Toledo Memorial Park on Monday, October 20, 2025, at 11 a.m., and a reception will be held after at TeKelas at 5147 Main St. Sylvania, OH for anyone who would like to visit with the family.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the American Cancer Society or the American Red Cross.

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