Evanston, Illinois | May 23, 2025 – Fifty-eighth Grand Consul, Order of Constantine Sig and Significant Sig Murray McComas, PENNSYLVANIA 1958, entered the Chapter Eternal on May 20, 2025. He was 88.
McComas was born Dec. 3, 1936, in Warren, Pennsylvania. He was initiated into the Phi Phi chapter on May 22, 1955. The McComas family had all been Phi Kappa Sigmas, and he broke tradition when he joined Sigma Chi. His undergraduate fraternal service included serving as Pro Consul and recruitment chairman.
After graduating college with a degree in economics and fulfilling his Army ROTC commitment with the U.S. Army Transportation Corps, McComas became an Assistant Executive Secretary under Order of Constantine Sig and Significant Sig Bill Bringham, ILLINOIS WESLEYAN 1946, and also a Leadership Training Workshop administer at International Fraternity Headquarters. In 1962 he joined Blair Corporation, a national mail order clothing and household goods firm, where he became vice president of advertising in 1975 and was elected to the board of directors in 1977. He served as CEO and president from 1987 until his retirement in 1999 and was the first person unrelated to the Blairs to serve in these roles. He continued to serve as board chairman until 2003 and remained a director until 2007.
His Fraternity alumni service included being a workshop volunteer for more than 25 years. McComas was a discussion leader, head of the Consuls division and member of the Leadership Training Board. He was the 1977 recipient of the William H. Carlisle Jr. Outstanding Workshop Faculty Award.
McComas also served as Grand Praetor of the West Virginia-Western Pennsylvania province from 1962 to 1977. He served on numerous Fraternity committees, including the Alumni Awards, Governing Laws, Significant Sig Selection, Order of Constantine Selection, Undergraduate Participation, Dues & Fees and Long Range Planning committees. McComas was the longtime secretary and treasurer of the Order of Constantine, and beginning in 1996 he served for a decade on the Sigma Chi Foundation Board of Governors. In addition, he was the chapter advisor and house corporation member for the Clarion chapter and an advisor and fundraiser for his home chapter.
He was inducted into the Order of Constantine in 1979 and received the Significant Sig Award in 1989. McComas was elected as the Fraternity’s 58th Grand Consul in 1993 at the 69th Grand Chapter held in Toronto.
He is quoted in the summer 1993 issue of The Magazine of Sigma Chi as saying he has stayed involved with Sigma Chi all of these years because he had a positive undergraduate experience, and ensuring that each brother gets that same experience is the way Sigma Chi can prosper. In speaking more about how the Fraternity can continue to thrive, McComas was quoted in the 2004 Quaker Sig newsletter as saying:
“It is the alumni who must maintain continuity within the Fraternity. Change and transition constantly affect every aspect of our society. For Sigma Chi to remain strong and true to its ideals, the brothers today must select young men who share the principles we believe in. But it is the alumni’s responsibility to provide the motivation, the example that allows them to understand what it truly means to be a Sig.”
McComas’s additional civic memberships and volunteerism included the local YMCA, United Way and Elks as well as the Conewango Club, Community Foundation of Warren County and Warren County Chamber of Commerce.
McComas married his sweetheart, Marie, in 1971, and together they have two children: Julia and D.A. McComas, PENNSYLVANIA 1997. McComas was a lifelong resident of Warren, Pennsylvania.
A White Rose Ceremony is scheduled for Sunday, May 25, at the conclusion of the visitation hours, at about 4 p.m. Eastern, at the Donald E. Lewis Funeral Home in Warren. Following the ceremony, the family will gather for dinner at the Cable Hollow Golf Course at 5 p.m. If you are planning to attend, please email Order of Constantine Sig and Sigma Chi Executive Director Michael Church, ILLINOIS 2005, at Michael.Church@sigmachi.org, so that a rough count can be known for ordering white roses and dinner.
Several brothers close to McComas remember him for his kindness, loyalty and servant leadership to Sigma Chi:
“A great honor of my life was to serve as Murray’s Grand Pro Consul. I learned so much from him. Murray was a values-based, servant leader. He always listened because he truly cared. I remember one Executive Committee meeting when he was moved to tears when we had to suspend an undergraduate charter, even though the chapter had received several chances. But Murray still worried about the undergraduates, the alumni as well as the incoming students who would never have an opportunity to experience our Ritual and the lifelong benefits of being a Sigma Chi. It would be impossible to comment on Murray without mentioning his delightful, supportive wife, Marie, his son/fraternal brother D.A., and daughter, Julia. Like any good Sigma Chis, Murray always put his family first. He loved them; they loved him. And I loved Murray. All honor to his name!”
~ Fifty-ninth Grand Consul Dick Hester, BALL STATE 1977
“Murray was a dear and loyal friend, and he is a beloved brother. The life he lived reflected the values we hold dear in Sigma Chi. Murray lived with integrity, and he led his life with sincerity and kindness. He left a lasting mark on everyone privileged to know him. His genuine spirit, remarkable generosity and steadfast character reflected the very heart of what it means to be a man of honor. As brothers, we grieve the loss of his presence among us. The legacy of his life will continue to be with us, and his voice will be particularly clear and bright even on the darkest of nights.”
~ Order of Constantine Sig and Significant Sig Phil Olsen, UTAH STATE 1970
“Murray had such a kind and open heart. He made everyone feel welcome, regardless of the circumstances. Anyone who worked with Murray knew of his wisdom, his humor and his deep commitment to the betterment of Sigma Chi. Clearly from the list of his involvements, his interest in helping others went far beyond Sigma Chi. With Murray’s passing, Sigma Chi lost a giant!”
~ Order of Constantine Sig Mark Anderson, ILLINOIS 1977
