Obituary of Wilma Murphy

Wilma Irene Murphy Wilma Irene (Moorman) Murphy died Friday morning Dec. 3, 2010, at her home in Olympia, Washington, at the age of 94. She is survived by two daughters, Marilyn Shaferly of Ohio and Linda Merz, who lived with her and cared for her. A third daughter, Charlene Luce, succumbed to Lou Gehrig’s Disease (ALS) in 1996. Wilma’s husband of nearly 69 years, Lowell Murphy, preceded her in death in December 2007. Memorial donations instead of flowers may be sent to One Mission Society, Box 1648, Monument, Colorado, 80132, designated to “Homes for Haiti,” account #232084, a project Wilma’s grandson, Michael Shaferly, will be coordinating to construct homes for Haiti’s earthquake victims. Michael was born and raised in Haiti, where his parents served as missionaries for over forty years. Wilma Irene (Moorman) Murphy Born: 9/3/1916 – Died: 12/3/2010 Wilma was born September 3, 1916, in Salem, Oregon, to parents Russell and Vida Moorman. Her two brothers, Arthur and Wilfred, also passed away before her. From Salem, the family moved to Portland, Oregon, when Wilma was two years old. There she spent her school-age and young adult years. After high school, Wilma entered the work force, doing a variety of jobs. On January 29, 1939, she married Lowell Rinard Murphy in a simple ceremony following the Sunday morning service in the First Friends Church of Portland, where her family had attended for many years. Both Wilma and Lowell came from “Quaker” families that could trace their heritage as part of the “Friends” movement back to the Quaker colony of Pennsylvania in the 1700s and its founder George Fox in England in the 1600s. Marriage to Lowell, a photographer, took the couple to Boise, Idaho, where their three daughters, Marilyn, Charlene and Linda, were born. From Boise they moved to Anderson Dam construction camp, some 75 miles away, where, for the next ten years, Lowell provided photographic documentation for the construction by the U. S. Bureau of Reclamation of what was then the highest earth-fill dam in the world. Wilma’s life in the remote close-knit community included some dramatic moments, as when raging fires on the mountain side forced their hasty evacuation, or snow slides cut off all communication with the outside world and the government commissary ran out of food. One notable Thanksgiving weekend, 23 vehicles returning from Boise were caught in snow drifts. Wilma remained in the car keeping her daughters warm and periodically drying out her husband’s socks while Lowell and the other men maneuvered each car through the drifts, one by one. No doubt these and similar experiences helped to develop the inner strength and spunk evidenced in Wilma’s life down through the years. Completion of the Anderson Dam project led to new assignments in California. As always, involvement in the local church kept the family busy and made them an example to many. Wilma faithfully served as organist in the Friends churches at Citrus Heights and Ventura, and in the Church of the Nazarene in Willits, California. In the Citrus Heights church she and two other ladies sang together as a trio for many years. Wilma was well-known for her gracious hospitality and often helped with church social events. She loved a party; many people, young and old, benefited from her entertaining skills and good cooking. Wilma spent 23 years working in the accounting departments of the public school system in Citrus Heights and Ventura, California, efficiently juggling family and church activities until her retirement in 1975. Retirement took Wilma and Lowell to Willits, CA, where they made a cozy home on a mountain-top in the wilderness. She even learned to co-exist, although not always happily, with the deer and bear. Wilma was always amazed at the opportunities she and Lowell had to travel. After their move to Willits in 1977, they often returned to the Ventura/Oxnard area to visit their daughter Charlene, her husband Ben Luce and grandchildren David, Kathy, Karen, and Kim, as well as many old friends. They took many trips to Washington State, and even Alaska and Hawaii, to visit their daughter Linda Merz, her husband Andy and grandchildren Brian and Heather. They also made several trips to Haiti, where their eldest daughter, Marilyn, was a missionary with her husband David Shaferly and two sons, Michael and John. They often said they got to tour the world while visiting their children. In addition to enjoying her 8 grandchildren, Wilma is survived by 19 wonderful great-grandchildren. All her grandchildren, as well as many of her great-grandchildren, were able to visit her just a few weeks before her death. After their 50th anniversary in 1989, Wilma and Lowell toured many different and beautiful spots in the U. S. in their beloved Toyota Dolphin RV. As “snow birds,” they spent many of their winters in the Happy Trails Resort in Arizona until, at age 90, they were no longer able to make the trip when Lowell became ill and then passed away in 2007. Sorrow had also struck when daughter Charlene was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease (ALS) and passed away in 1996. Even though they miss her, Wilma’s family rejoices that she is now reunited with husband Lowell, daughter Charlene, and many other family and friends who have gone on before her – and that she is at last able to look into her Savior’s loving eyes and hear Him say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”