High Five: Frances Murray

Murray adds new chapter to her life

Frances Murray, 82, is a role model for maintaining an inquisitive mind throughout one’s senior years.

I met her in a book group five years ago where she’s a favorite with members and their kids.

Murray was an educator, teaching mostly in the Valley, first in the classroom for nine years at Otis Orchards Elementary School, then for 20 years as librarian at Trentwood Elementary, retiring in 1989. She has been her church’s librarian for two decades. “It keeps you young, and your mind active. I’ve got to keep everyone on their toes,” she says with a twinkle.

When I first visited Murray’s home, filled with stacks of marker-filled books, she was enthused about finding a tome on Alfred the Great with copies of original documents. A history buff, she also loves science fiction and fantasy, biblical subjects, meaty novels and children’s literature. “Authors can get by with almost anything for adults, but children are very particular,” she says.

“People talk to me about getting old, and I tell them I’m not going there; that’s all there is to it,” says Murray, who exercises regularly and keeps busy with “meaningful” projects.

This lively, erudite woman’s intellectual pursuits assure me that age poses no barrier to continually expanding my horizons of knowledge.

Maybe someday I’ll even read about Alfred the Great.

Deborah Chan

Spokane Valley

Salutes to parade goers, organizers

As a Navy veteran, I want to thank paradegoers at the Torchlight parade who said “thank you” with actions that spoke louder than words: During the parade a military vehicle that carried ex-POW’s broke down and pulled over. Without skipping a beat, a number of able-bodied parade watchers jumped up from their seats, got behind the truck and began to push. In less than a minute the truck was back in the parade.

As other onlookers realized what was going on, they relieved the first group who, by this time, was sweating and breathing hard from the effort. These veterans were propelled through the streets of Spokane by the sheer determination of citizens who were willing to let their actions, even more than their words, say “Thank you.” What a tribute!

Eventually another truck was used to push the vehicle through the parade. However, had it not been for the actions of these anonymous paradegoers, these veterans would have lost their place of honor toward the front of the parade.

Two salutes: one for those anonymous paradegoers who stepped up, and one to the parade organizers who put the veterans toward the front of the parade this year.

Cornelius Ray

Spokane

Thanks to science bowl sponsors

On April 18 and 19, nearly 300 middle school students from Washington and Idaho attended the Northwest Regional Science Bowl at Gonzaga University. These talented students participated in two days of science competition and hydrogen fuel-cell car races.

We would like to thank these sponsors that made this event possible: United States Department of Energy; Bird Aviation Museum and Invention Center; Cogentrix- Rathdrum Power; ITRON; Gonzaga University; St Aloysius Catholic School; Inland Power; Pacific Northwest National Laboratory; Gropp Electric; Contractors Northwest; Super One Foods of Hayden and Rathdrum; Advanced Benefits; Cowles Co.; Masonic Lodge No. 134, Deer Park; McDonalds of Indian Trail and Rathdrum; ROW Adventures; Spokane Teachers Credit Union; Advanced Litho Printers; Dave Smith Motors; Project Learning Tree-Idaho; Equity Publishing; John Stockton.

Thank you,

Dennis Kimberling

Northwest Regional Science Bowl

Guardian angel helps visitors find their way

It was with great pleasure and pride that Blue Mountain Riders from Walla Walla journeyed north to ride their horses in the Lilac Festival Torchlight Parade. We had paraded in Waitsburg, Wash., that morning before making the drive and re-dressing for your judges. To our delight, we were awarded the Evelyn Jones “Best of the Best Equestrian Entry” this year. So with huge smiles, we rode our horses through an energetic crowd of over 70,000 people! It had been quite the day!

But there was another golden nugget ahead for us, and we are writing to thank you not only for a wonderful parade and award, but for being a city with a “guardian angel” to spare just for us. We got lost navigating a detour from the staging area back to the freeway and found ourselves (three big pickups hauling horse trailers) caught between road closure barriers in the West Central neighborhood at 11:30 at night. A man “appeared” who then drove ahead of us for nearly half an hour – guiding us around downtown congestion – to our destination. Then he drove away…

The story could have had a very different ending.

Thank you Spokane! You are a beautiful city. Inside, outside, upside-down!

Sincerely,

Linda L. Brown

Walla Walla