Myrtle Belle Cone Murdock

Myrtle Belle Cone Murdock was born on the family farm in Trent, South Dakota on a cold, blustery January 24, 1911, the sixth of nine children born to William Augustus Cone and Florence Louise Bunn Cone; she completed her earthly journey in Austin, Texas on a beautiful, balmy January evening, one day shy of her 99th birthday. Myrtle's four brothers and three sisters predeceased her and she is survived by her sister Dortha Drake of Dell Rapids, South Dakota. Also, Myrtle leaves to cherish her memory her son and his wife, Mark and Janet Murdock of Austin. Gramma will forever be remembered with love and affection by her grandchildren and great grandchildren: Amy and Bo Huggins and their children Jake, Peter, Tyler, Benjamin, and Kristen of Houston, Mark and Jenny Murdock and their sons Mark III, Drew, and Turner of Houston, Jennifer and Bobby Underhill and their children Robert, Elizabeth, Sarah, James, Abigail, and Megan of McAllen, Texas, and Megan and Glenn Behrens and daughter Brittany of Coupland, Texas.

Upon high school graduation at age 17 and having never left the farm, Myrtle took the bold step of boarding the train for the long 700 mile trek to Waterloo, Iowa and entered beauty school. Liberated from the farm, Myrtle found herself living and working the life of a city girl where she enjoyed high heels and stylish dresses; the impeccable taste she cultivated became her hallmark as she was always finely turned out and surrounded by beautiful things in her home. In 1932, Myrtle moved to Sax City where she met and married tall, handsome Orrin Leigh Murdock. Orrin's job with Montgomery Ward took them to Chicago where they weathered the Great Depression and then to Texas in 1941. Landing in Fort Worth, they lived on Locke Street for 51 years until Orrin's death in 1992. Myrtle, aka Gramma, moved to Buckner Villas in Austin in 1994 where she enjoyed the company of caring and compassionate friends and staff from beginning to end. Myrtle Murdock led a quiet, disciplined, dignified life; she was well-read and physically fit before exercise was avant garde among women, and she made the best chocolate cookies ever!

When the ship leaves the shore, someone says "There she goes."
Gone where? Gone from my sight, that is all. Her diminished size is in me, not in her.
And just at the moment when someone at my side says "There she goes."
There are other eyes watching her coming and other voices ready to take up the glad shout, "There she comes!"

Visitation will be on Tuesday, January 26 from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at Cook Walden, Chapel of the Hills Funeral Home in Austin. Graveside Service will be held at 12:00 noon, Wednesday, January 27, in Fort Worth at Greenwood Cemetery, 3100 White Settlement Road.

Gramma and her family request that gifts and remembrances be directed to The Salvation Army, 501 East 8th Street, Austin, Texas 78701.

Arrangements under the direction of Cook-Walden Chapel of the Hills Funeral Home, 9700 Anderson Mill Road, Austin, Texas 78750 (512) 335-1155.