Jacquelyn “Jacqui” Murdock

No Services planned at this time.

Obituary – Jacquelyn Diane Murdock

Jacquelyn Diane Tousley Murdock passed away peacefully at her home in Lamoni, Iowa April 10, 2025, in the arms of her husband. She suffered from complications following a blood clot last July. She was cared for in her home the last four months of her life, thanks to the wonderful health care workers in and around the Lamoni area, the great hospice team from Care Initiatives and her loving husband.

Jacqui, as friends know her, was born in Seattle, Washington in 1948. Her father, Pershing Tousley, was born in Lamoni and was a lieutenant in the U. S. Army. Her mother, Eva Elnora Barrett Tousley, of Dennison, Iowa was a nutritionist. The family was active in the RLDS church, later known as the Community of Christ.

Jacqui’s father was on active duty for his country and as a result, Jacqui spent most of her childhood moving every few years. She visited Greece, Italy, Egypt, Israel, Jordan and Turkey, which sparked her fascination with ancient civilizations. Jacqui and her family moved from tip to tip, coast to coast: Anchorage, Alaska to border town Kingsville, Texas and Newport News, Virginia to Palo Alto, California, with stops in the Heartland along the way.

In the late 1950’s and early 1960’s, Jacqui developed a deep love of French language and culture during her father’s stint serving at what was then the integrated command headquarters for NATO in Fontainebleau, just north of Paris. In a twist of fate, her future son-in-law, Garth, was born in Paris around the time young Jacqui lived there. Did the two pass on the streets of Paris—Jacqui in her polka dotted skirts and petticoats and lace bobby socks; Garth in his pram—unknowing of their future together? Jacqui’s upbringing gave her a deep connection to her grandson, who was raised in francophone Geneva and Brussels. Thanks to video calls, Grand’Mere Jacqui spent hours singing the same French nursery songs her grandson learned at French crèche.

Jacqui never pinpointed if it was her formative years in France and Germany surrounded by art or her visits to ancient ruins that solidified her desire to add art to her elementary education degree. Her senior year three stories tall art project was a tribute to Claes Oldenburg’s gigantic art installations of the 70’s and will be long remembered at Graceland.

Jacqui spent her early teens in Germany during the cold war where her father watched over the Fulda Gap—perceived at the time to be a likely point of Soviet invasion. Her family rehearsed evacuation routes during weekends. Those stark experiences compelled Jacqui to settle down permanently in Lamoni in the late 1960’s and never leave. Jacqui did travel throughout her adult life starting with her honeymoon in Branson, Missouri at the summer get-away vacation spot belonging to her beloved Carpenter in-laws from Andover, Missouri, Catherine, Fern, Marybeth, Mac, Cliff, Lewis, and Norma. Jacqui graduated from King High School in Kingsville, Texas in 1966, Graceland College (BA) in 1971, and Drake University (MS) in 1998.

Jacqui met Stephen Murdock in San Jose, California in the summer of 1966, a week before they both attended college in Lamoni. They were married in September 1968, at the Stone Church (RLDS) in Independence, Missouri by Steve’s uncle Gerald Evans. Three weeks later, her father left California for a tour of duty in Vietnam. Less than a decade later, came two children to Jacqui and Steve, Stacey and Christopher. Both of Jacqui’s children followed in her footsteps attending Graceland, as did Jacqui’s father and mother, her father-in law, Alva Murdock, her mother-in-law, Jean Carpenter of Andover, and her grandfather-in-law, Ellis Murdock.

Jacqui worked as a public school teacher for 16 years, teaching high school art, and junior high social studies, world civilizations, English and civics. She then started teaching art History and art Education as adjunct faculty for Graceland University until her retirement, as well as serving as an Academic Advisor in their advising center.

Jacqui was known in Lamoni as the Tea Lady and delighted in preparing fairy tea parties for children from pre-school to college. She was a long time member and fan of the As You Like It club. For over a decade, she recounted the clubs activities for the local newspaper, writing about their activities monthly for the Lamoni Chronicle, with many readers expressing enjoyment of her unique social writing style. She enjoyed sponsoring a cooking club for young men and women at Graceland.

Remaining to cherish Jacqui’s memory is her spouse of 56 years, Stephen; daughter, Stacey and her husband, Garth Thorburn II; son, Christopher; grandson, Garth III; and stepmother, Doris Tousley.

Preceding Jacqui in death were her parents, Pershing and Eva; Pershing’s siblings, Steven, Francis, and LoRene; and sister, Sherry Tousley.

As Jacqui wished, no services are planned at this time. Arrangements were through the Slade – O’Donnell Funeral Home in Leon, Iowa.