Murray went to school in Chicago (graduating in 1921) and then went to Edmonton to the University of Alberta where he made many good friends, mostly fellows who were studying to become doctors. He sure looks happy in those photographs, even the one where he is holding up a cadaver. He then went to Stanford University where he attended the School of Engineering for two years.

Murray returned to the ranch full time in 1927. He helped complete his house and then married Patricia Lemna who lived south of Jenner about ten miles. Patricia’s father was French Canadian and her mother was Irish. Irish as Paddy’s Pig” Aunt Mary used to say. Maybe they didn't got along. Apparently she operated the local post office in Jenner for some time. Patricia worked for a while at the Stapleton’s ranch where she met Murray. Patricia’s family (the Lemnas – 5 girls and 1 boy) returned to Chicago – date and reason unknown.

By 1933 it was obvious that the tide was turning against the Stapletons and the Lone Star Ranch. Rentals on the government leases were higher than they should have been, given the circumstance that the dry short-grass country was not as productive as the western long-grass leases. A fight with the government ensued between the Government and the southeast ranchers. A lawyer from Medicine Hat was brought in to back up the ranchers. He advised that the ranchers could win their case and the advice was, “Don’t pay the rentals”. Some say that this was what certain parties were waiting for. Murray was not up to that kind of a battle or the responsibility involved when Michael became ill. He had not grown up to be a street fighter. He was a good horseman, a pretty good roper – a good all around cowboy, he even had several years at university(several colleges and universities in fact) but he was not up to this kind of punishment. The Stapletons and a lot of other ranchers lost their leased grazing lands.

Murray sized up the situation: his father had passed away by 1937, the depression, the bank, leases, drought, the winter of 1937 that killed off most of the cattle and horses – he had seven children – he threw in the towel – they left for Calgary. Murray and Patricia took their seven children and left the ranch in a chuck-wagon, and moved to Calgary in about 1939.

The family grew to ten children in all – five boys and five girls. Patricia passed away in Turner Valley in 1957; Murray in Calgary, 1979.