ChildhoodGrace Brewster Murray was born in New York City on December 9, 1906 to Walter Fletcher Murray and Mary Campbell Horne Murray, who named Grace after her best friend, Grace Hopper. Grace had two younger siblings, including Mary, 3 years younger and Rob, 5 years younger. Grace had a typical and joyous childhood, especially since the whole family would spend their summers at their cottage on Lake Wentworth in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire. There, Grace would play games such as kick-the-can, hide-and-seek and cops-and-robbers with her siblings and cousins (Dickason). However, Grace was not the typical child. She enjoyed figuring out how things work. At the age of seven, she took apart one of her family’s alarm clocks, and when she couldn’t figure out how to re-assemble it, she took apart another. Eventually, Grace had taken apart seven alarm clocks she gathered around the house and the whole Murray family probably didn’t know when to wake up anymore (Dickason). Yet, Grace’s childhood was not always happy. When Grace was in high school, her father Walter, an insurance broker, had hardening of the arteriest and both of his legs were amputated. Despite the health problems, Walter lived to be 75. Walter mentored Grace and convinced her that she could do anything she wanted. He believed Grace should have the same educational opportunities as the opposite sex. Grace’s mother, Mary, was also a big influence on Grace. Mary shared with Grace her love for mathematics, and probably influenced her to study it in college (Norman). [ Introduction | Childhood | Education | Work and Accomplishments |
