LIVING married LIVING. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Record Change: 22 Apr 2001

Notes:

!Gary Whiting, Danny L Jorgensen 1988

Natverlal married LIVING. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Fact 5: Mound Grove Cemetery, Independence, Missouri
• Death: 12 Oct 1987, Independence, Mo.
• Record Change: 22 Apr 2001

Notes:

OBITUARY FOR ELLIS E. MURDOCK

Ellis E. Murdock, 93, of Independence died Monday, October 12, 1987 at the Independence Regional Health Center. He was born in Clitherall, Minnesota, and had lived in this area since 1945. Mr. Murdock was a mimeograph operator for the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints World Headquarters for 17 years, and retired in 1966. He was a member of the RLDS Second Church congregation.
His survivors include his wife, Cora May Murdock of the home; two sons, Orison Murdock of Brasilia, Brazil and Alva Murdock of Mesa, Arizona; three daughters, Fae Sherwood of Santa Fe, New Mexico, Matie Jorgensen of Tucson, Arizona and June King of Las Vegas, New Mexico; two sisters, Marguerite Kelley of Des Moines, Iowa and Ione McNeill of Bedford, Ohio; 22 grandchildren; and 28 great-grandchildren.
Memorial services will be at 10:00 a.m. Saturday at the RLDS Second Church. Friends may call from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday at the Speaks Midtown Chapel. The family suggests contributions to the RLDS temple fund..

This obituary was submitted by Virginia (Fletcher) Lane.

Ellis married Jensen, Cora May on 27 Apr 1917 in Girard, Mn.. Cora was born on 14 Oct 1898 in , Freeborn, Minnesota. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Record Change: 22 Apr 2001

Notes:

!Gary Whiting, Danny Lynn Jorgensen 1988

GIVEN NAMES: Also shown as Cora Mae

Notes:

The following article was copied from the "Second Church Spotlight" dated May, 1978.

ELLIS AND CORA MURDOCK FAMILY

This biography may be longer than some in the past issues have been, but then it covers more years. Ellis and Cora Murdock are the oldest couple attending Second Church.
Ellis was born in Clitherall, Minnesota and baptized there at the age of eight. Cora was born in Freeborn, Minnesota of Danish Parentage. Her family moved to Clitherall in 1915, where she met Ellis and was baptized in the church in 1917. The story of her conversion was printed in the "Stepping Stones", September 3, 1950. They were married April 27, 1917 by Lester Whiting, Ellis's uncle (who later moved to Independence and also attended Second Church). Cora and Ellis moved to Independence in 1919 and lived on West South Avenue when the street was not yet paved.
Their five children, Orison, Fae, Alva, Matie and June were all born within a three block radius of Second Church. They attended Second Church from 1919 until 1933. Ellis was called to the office of Deacon in 1922 by Arthur Allen, the third pastor of Second Church. After their first son was born, they lived in Lamoni for one year while Ellis attended Graceland College (he had attended before in 1915 at what was called the Academy-equivalent to high school). While Ellis attended Graceland, Cora cooked and kept house for their landlord to pay the rent.
During the depression they lived on a farm in the Ozarks, then moved back to the family farm at Clitherall, Minnesota in 1936. While attending the Clitherall branch, Ellis was called to the office of Priest by Lester Whiting in 1936. In 1943 they sold the farm and again returned to Missouri, Odessa for two years and then back to Independence in 1945. They moved into the house at 403 South Avenue where they are still living. In 1952, Howard Timm, then pastor of Second Church, called Ellis to the office of Elder.
Cora has worked continuously in the Primary Department since 1945. She started baking the sacrament bread in 1957 when Chris Hartshorn was pastor, and is still doing this for us.
Although they were never "rich" by world standards, they helped all five of their children attain a college degree. Three attended Graceland.
Ellis has been a farmer, where his greatest joy was trading horses. He never farmed with a tractor. He also has been a horse and/or truck delivery driver, but his most enjoyable job was in the mail room at the Auditorium for fifteen years, from where he retired in 1968.
All of her children will testify that Cora was a hardworking, kind and understanding mother. She loves cats and could milk a cow, ride a horse or bicycle with the best of them. When she was sixty years old, she was still demonstrating to her grandchildren how to ride a bicycle.
Ellis and Cora have attended Second Church for a total of 47 years, under 22 of the 24 pastors. This surely must set a record.