Louise Murdock
Louise Marie Minor Murdock, 92, of Santa Barbara, Calif., died March 26, 2009.
She was born in Heppner, Ore., on Sept. 2, 1916. Louise was the oldest child of Ellis Rush Minor and Grace Van Vactor Minor-members of pioneer families who settled Eastern Oregon. Her family moved to Hilda, Mo., near Branson in the Ozarks, in 1930 to raise sheep as part of a Zionic project with the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (now known as the Community of Christ). Following graduation, she went to Central Missouri State University and returned to the Ozarks to teach in a one room school house at Three Johns.
The family returned to Oregon in 1938 and ran a restaurant and gift shop at Latterel Falls on the old Columbia River Highway. They also made Ozark pottery and sold it along the Oregon coast. The family moved to Portland, and soon after, Louise went to the University of Washington where she married Orison Murdock in Seattle in February of 1942.
After World War II, they moved to a ranch near Lyle, inherited by Louise's mother, where Louise taught while Orison attended Washington State University.
In 1950, the family moved to Goldendale. Louise taught English, history, and directed plays at Goldendale High School for about 20 years. She was elected Superintendent of Schools for Klickitat County in 1964. During her term in office, Title I Reading and Headstart programs were initiated. A tribute to Louise is included in the book of Over 100 Distinguished Citizens of the 20th Century in Klickitat County.
In 1969, Louise, Orison, Carol, and Janet left Goldendale for Brazil, loading their belongings on a ship, sailing through the Panama Canal, and landing in Rio. These hearty pioneers settled on a grassy plain in the middle of Brazil, about 90 miles from Brazilia in the village of San Gabriel. They purchased an apartment in Brazilia and Louise taught at the American School for seven years.
In 1980, Louise returned to the U. S. and lived in Goldendale, The Dalles; Lamoni, Iowa; White Salmon; Washington D.C.; and finally Santa Barbara, Calif., for her last nine years. In addition to being a truly dedicated Community of Chist church member, Louise was an active participant and leader in community organizations and various groups such as P. E. O., Delta Kappa Gamma, and women's clubs.
Louise was preceded in death by her parents, a brother, a sister, and husband.
Survivors include one sister, Calista Waite and husband Jerry of El Dorado Springs, Mo., daughters, Mary Jean Jeanae, of Lamoni, Iowa; Allis May and husband Harvey Menezes, of Ketchikan, Alaska; Carol Lee Whitehurst, of Santa Barbara, Calif., and Janet Lynn and husband Sheldon Studer, of Annandale, Va.; three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Memorial donations may be made to the Graceland University-Mary Beth Evans Endowed Scholarship for future teachers, send to: the Graceland University, Development Office, One University Place, Lamoni, IA 50140.
