Teresa Ray
The speaker for our Winter Meeting was Teresa Ray who spoke about her upbringing in the South Graves County orphanage, Paradise Friendly Home, and her project “Paradise Friendly Home Revisited”. Teresa became a resident of Paradise Friendly Home in December 1961 and lived there until her high school graduation in 1967. She spoke of the founders, Leslie and Thelma Murdock, about how she came to be a resident, about life with 50-70 “siblings”, and the demise of the orphanage. Although in the beginning (1935) the Murdocks did not receive any financial or other assistance, eventually almost all of Western Kentucky, through churches, service organizations, educational organizations and individuals, pitched in and helped in some way. The first building was the Murdocks’ two bedroom home but the physical plant grew to five buildings in order to house the estimated 500 children they parented from 1935 until 1978.
Ms. Ray has undertaken the task of preserving the story of the Murdocks and the orphanage. The task has been named Paradise Friendly Home Revisited and its stated purpose is to “identify, gather and archive the oral histories of the children, staff, and families who lived at Paradise Friendly Home between the years of 1935 and 1978″. The oral histories are also being collected for the Kentucky Historical Society’s Oral History Commission. More information on this project, along with pictures of the Murdocks, can be found on the website: www.paradisefriendlyhome.com. Ms. Ray also hopes to write a book about Paradise Friendly Home and its children.
If you haven’t already, please listen to our interview with Teresa; you will find it under the podcast category on the right side of this webpage.
Do you collect memoirs? Are you collecting stories from folks?
We would love to have any stories about the Murdocks’ Paradise Friendly Home. Teresa Ray is the person who is conducting the survey/study about the Home and you might want to share your memoirs/stories with her also. Her email address is in the podcast and also our posting.
Thanks for visiting our website and I look forward to hearing from you again.
Sarah
How nice to find this site!
I was a student at Murray State from 1965-1969.
Around 1968, I was encouraged by a friend
(Galen Powell) and the United Campus Ministy
to visit the home…at first to help the kids
with homework etc. It usually ended up with the
orphanage residents wanting to know all about
life on the campus, what kind of music we liked,
dating…typical teenage interests.
I remember Mr. Murdock being a very strict man
but also very kind; well suited for this
voluntary calling of being father to so many
fatherless and motherless kids. I never met his
wife that I can recall.
I recall Theresa Ray as a teenage girl. Also
Gladys Jaco. Gladys had a beautiful singing voice
and taught herself guitar. I found my self a
bit “sweet” on her! I recall one of Gladys’
quips..”I got a bad case of poverty!”.
One Sunday, Gladys invited me (and Galen) to church
service at the local Church of Christ. I
think Mr Murdock was the preacher!
The man was a good Christian IMO who practiced
what he preached. His (and Mrs. Murdoch) charity, perhaps not money wise,
but giving of himself, is rare indeed!
I graduated from Murray in 1969 and lost contact
with Paradise Murdock Freindly Home. Again,
happy memories of occasional volunteer work there!
We’re glad you found us, too! I never met the Murdocks but my aunt worshiped at the Church of Christ in Bell City and helped with the needs of the kids. Finding Teresa and having her as a speaker was a real high point for our year. Thank you for sharing your story.
Now that you have found us, hope you will come back often!
Hi every one My name is Vickie Davis Im proud to say I am A Paradise Friendly Home Child.I am very thankful to have been blessed to be in the care and nurture of L.W.Murdock.God Bless …..
Former resident of the home until july 1963, (went into the navy). Very glad to see this site, as i have been wondering over the years how everyone was doing, or what had become of them. I am originally from Topeka, Kansas, and have returned after a 40 year trip around the globe. (20 while in the navy, the rest various places related to jobs).
Sorry, ended the previous reply too quick, (computers). I have really GREAT memories of the home, and L.W…., and of course Mrs. Murdock. Her flaming red hair, always tied up in a tight bun, really was a beautiful person, and a great help on everything we needed.
Sadly, I have just noticed on the search i have been doing thru the net, that L.W., and his mrs. have passed on. I really am sad about this, as he was the father that i never had, and she the mother and sister that i never saw.
I had the pleasure of meeting both his children and can only say that they were and probably still are, the exact doubles of their mom and dad. (personality wise/helpfullness).
I dont have the full names of everyone there, while at the home, but a bell rings in my head about Ray J. and his sisters. One that has been mentioned here already, Brenda (?), but the real charmer was Joyce J. That gal could charm a snake out of its hiding spot.
Another lady (hopefully this is spelled correctly), by the name of betty B. (dont want to put last names here due to the security of the net)….she was Ray’s lady friend while i was there. (real long story to that time frame).
I wont babble on any further, as i know there are limits to everything, but if anyone wants to contact me:
email is mjacobs9649@gmail.com (have this to sort out the spam).
once i get an email from you, will pass on any information that i can remember. It has been a long time, and a lot of oceans since I left the home.
Be well. Stay safe.
mike jacobs