In the late 1960s, Murray and his girlfriend Jan Lewis founded JanSport (see what they did there?), a local manufacturer of recreation equipment such as backpacks, tents and sleeping bags.

Take the school backpack, for example. Its invention can be traced to one man, Murray McCory, who died last month. McCory founded JanSport in 1967 with his future wife (Jan, the company’s namesake).

After the death of Murray McCory, a founder of the outdoors equipment company JanSport, readers recalled how their backpacks served them on life’s journeys.

Murray McCory, a free-spirited outdoorsman who co-founded the rugged gear and pack company JanSport, designed a widely ...

Murray McCory, who founded JanSport while a student at UW and whose lightweight backpack, revolutionized school life for millions of students, died Oct. 7 in Seattle.

Murray McCory, a free-spirited outdoorsman who co-founded the rugged gear and pack company JanSport, designed a widely imitated dome tent, and created a durable but lightweight backpack that ...