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Meet Resident Lura Murphy

Lura Murphy

Lura was born in CA and moved to WA when she was two years old. She attended college in Ellensburg in 1946 which was a very exciting time to be a college student as many World War II  Veterans were coming home and going to  college! She met her future husband, Jim, there, and they were married in 1947.

In their early years of marriage, Jim worked as a seasonal ranger in Olympic National Park.  Lura loved the summers in the park, and she and Jim had a wonderful time there. In 1955 Lura and Jim had their son, David, and she felt blessed to stay home and raise him. 

In 1953 Jim took a job as the Shop Teacher at Fife High School, and Lura worked as the librarian at the middle school beginning in 1970. In 1969, Lura went back to school in Ellensburg to earn her teaching degree. Because of the commute, she lived on campus during the week. 

In 1978 Jim passed away shortly before he retired.  Lura applied for a job with the Department of Defense Dependents and accepted a job at a middle school in Panama with the task of  creating a Visual Center Library. Because she did not want to make a multi-year commitment to stay in Panama, after one year she returned to Fife Middle School to run their Visual Center Library. 

Lura retired in 1989, and after a year of boredom she started volunteering as a docent at the Point Defiance Zoo which she loved. At one time, Lura’s job was to take the animals around the zoo for visitors to see, interact with and learn about. She truly enjoyed her relationships with the animals, especially the elephants

Lura loves to take cruises and cherishes the five trips to Great Britain including Wales. She also loves to walk and enjoyed a 120-mile walking tour in Europe! Moreover, Lura enjoys reading .

Lura is happy with her life at Franke Tobey Jones and is very glad to be living here.  She has made wonderful friends and truly enjoys the fellowship at meals, trips and socials (in non-COVID times). She also loves to read and has volunteered on the  Library Committee. We’re so happy the Lura is part of our Franke Tobey Jones Family.

Categories: Meet Our Residents