Murdale C. Leysath

BRANDON - The Rev. Dr. Murdale C. Leysath, 88, died Sunday, January 13, 2013, at her home in Brandon, Vt. She passed away peacefully and comfortably in her sleep following an extended period of declining health.

Rev. Leysath was born in Greenville, S.C., on May 26, 1924, the youngest daughter of Bertha (Love) and Murdo Cameron. Her lifelong commitment to serving others began at the early age of 18 with an internship at the Settlement House, Church Of All Nations in NYC while attending Winthrop College of Rockville, S.C. She was to graduate with honors with a bachelor's degree in psychology and sociology in 1945. From 1945 to 1948, Murdale continued her service as a case worker and social worker, first for the Florence County Department of Public Welfare, then for the Department of Welfare in Aiken, S.C.

In 1947, Murdale married Elwin Leysath, a Southern-educated forester from "away up the road" in New England. Two years later, their son Albert was born, and in 1950 the family moved to Elwin's home state of Vermont when he accepted a position as Rutland County Forester, settling in Rutland. In 1952, a daughter, Dorothy was born, completing the family. They joined Grace Congregational Church in Rutland, which at the time was in a declining state of disarray. Murdale recognized the need for involvement at the church and stepped in to help wherever she could. Her energy, passion, and commitment to Grace quickly established her as one of the congregation's leaders.

Murdale "got the calling" to a life of ministry when she was only 11, but grew up in a time and place where women simply did not have an opportunity to follow that path. In the 1950's, the Congregational Church was evolving; it was merging with other churches to form an affiliation now established as the UCC, the United Church of Christ. An evolving church meant new challenges. Vermont's rural churches were faced with the additional challenges of being understaffed. The time was right for Murdale to follow her childhood calling, so from 1958 to 1964 she attended Layman's School at Lancaster Theological Seminary in PA.

In 1965, Rev. Leysath was ordained as a minister of the UCC and assigned to lead her first congregation at the Sherburne United Church of Christ, in what is now Killington, Vt. During this time, she observed that the nearby congregations of Pittsfield and Gaysville were struggling with both attendance and leadership. She spearheaded the effort to merge these congregations with Sherburne, forming the Tri-Valley Parish, which she presided over as minister. Her reputation as a dynamic force was growing; in 1966 she was named as the Chairperson of the Vermont Conference Christian Education Department and in 1967 appointed to the Conference's Board of Directors. In 1971 she was assigned her second congregation at Cornwall-Weybridge Parish.

In 1977, Rev. Leysath was called upon to play a larger role in the Church when she was appointed Associate Conference Minister of the Michigan Conference of the UCC, serving all of Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula. In 1981, she was appointed Conference Minister by the Minnesota Conference, overseeing all of the churches in the entire state. She was the first woman to serve in this role in the history of the UCC. In 1982, Rev. Leysath was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Theology at Eden Theological Seminary.

In 1989, Murdale "retired" and she and Elwin moved back to Rutland, Vt. She remained a vital leader of the church until 2002, offering regular consultation and acting as interim minister at Castleton Federated Church, First Congregational Church of Wallingford, and Shrewsbury Congregational Church. In 2002, Murdale and Elwin moved to Brandon, Vt, to live with their daughter and son-in-law, Edward.

To her Church, Murdale was known as a seeker of truth, a source of inspiration, and a powerful advocate to advance the beliefs that a society is all-inclusive. She worked tirelessly to ensure that women and same-sex couples be treated as equals. To her family, Murdale was the keeper of folklore, the storyteller, and the rock that could always be counted upon. She is survived by her husband Elwin, sister Jean, son Albert, daughter Dorothy, grandchildren Terry, John, and Bertha, and great-granddaughter June. She will be missed by all.

A memorial service will be held at Grace Congregational, UCC Church, 8 Court St, Rutland, VT. The service is Thursday, January 17, 2013, at 2 p.m., followed by a reception at the fellowship hall. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial donations be made to the Leysath Fund, a scholarship established in Rev. Leysath's name assisting women pursuing their calling to the ministry. A memorial should be sent to: Minnesota Conference UCC, 122 West Franklin Ave, Suite 23, Minneapolis, MN 55404.

The Tossing Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.