Richard Murray

Richard Armstrong Murray, 75, of Richland Oregon passed away peacefully at his home, under

the morning sun, amongst his irises, with his faithful dog, Tipper nearby.  A graveside service will

be held on Saturday, June 1, 2024 – 11 a.m. at Eagle Valley Cemetery in Richland, Oregon.

Born in Salt Lake City, Utah on July 13, 1948, to Norman and Kathryn Murray. He was the oldest

of three, leaving behind two sisters, Kathryn and Mary. After graduating from East High School,

he studied art at the University of Utah. Friends in high school, Richard remained close to

Dennis, and his wife Polly, and was instrumental in the lives of their children, Samantha (Kelley)

and Jamie (Dylan).

Richard was a talented and successful artist, over his long career he painted local Utah

landscapes, scenes from his travels to Egypt, Africa, and India, and most notable was his

lifesize paintings of animals, ranging from domestic cows and horses to exotic animals such as

giraffes and tigers along with everything in between.

A lifelong lover of animals and plants, Richard dreamed of escaping the city to live on a large

piece of land, free from neighbors, leash laws, and the restraint of a small backyard for

gardening. He loved growing trees and irises and raising pigeons and doves. He dreamed of a

series of ponds ending in one large one he could row a boat on and watch herons and cranes.

After a long search, he found Richland, Oregon, and began bringing his dream to life. He

designed a house to serve as both a home and a studio. He erected a bell tower for owls to take

refuge in, he lined his drive with trees and began an iris garden. He brought peacocks onto the

property and filled his coups with pigeons and doves. However, those first years were hard, the

deer ate his trees, the foxes got his pigeons and doves, and he discovered the only redeeming

quality of a peacock was its colorful feathers. They were loud and messy.

Despite nature being inhospitable to his dreams, Richard found hospitality in the group of

friends he had in Richland and Halfway. People with similar interests and ideals, other artists,

and nature lovers. Linda Joy Cordtz was one such person, who wrote a poem for Richard, fitting

of this occasion:

The horses knew first and told the snake

That our good friend Richard had passed.

Swans heard it from the iris,

That bore it on the breeze, telling the meerkats.

And soon they gathered under the starry sky,

Monkeys, turkeys, elk, owls, deer, and skunks.

The ostriches, helped him stand and he walked freely among them,

Holding a hare to his chest

Chickens and peacocks, guinea hens, cougars, and bison.

The eagles brought the wrens, the owls nestled

On the musk ox back, as they celebrated him.

The leaves whispered and the flowers bloomed,

And still they came.

The milk cow, a wood duck, a lynx with a coyote,

A grand moose, with cranes, followed by raccoons.

The mountain goat, the fox, a black bear and the wolf.

All the dogs barked and ran, as the bighorn sheep

Circled back to see him looking out at the pond.

But the raven called, and still they all came, to walk him Home

Thank you all for sharing the journey with him.