Jean Elwin Murdock

1930 - 2023

Jean Elwin Murdock
August 6, 1930 – February 18, 2023

In the midst of the Great Depression, Jean
Elwin Murdock was born to Buck and Ruby Murdock in Clitherall, Minnesota.
As his Grandmother Laura succinctly put it at the time: "What with drought, dust storms, grasshoppers, lost crops, and low prices for those crops, things were getting pretty tough for the farmer." And so, in 1934, the Murdock family became a part of our nation's migration to California, the land of promise. They sold the farmstead and re-settled in California, first in Pomona, then later in Sunnyvale.
In 1941 Jean attended Fremont High School (in Cupertino), where he met the love of his life, Cleo (Coke) Cordero. Shortly after high school they wed and Jean found work at Kaiser Permanente. They bought a home in Saratoga and set about raising their sons.
In 1959 Jean was hired as a firefighter by the City of Campbell. The young Murdock family relocated to Campbell, where Jean served as a Firefighter and later Fire Engineer for the next 25 years.
In 1976 Jean was able to realize another of his life's ambitions. When their youngest son left home and entered the Navy, Coke and Jean sold their home in Campbell and moved to Boulder Creek, CA. There they bought six acres and proceeded to build their dream home in the mountains. Jean retired from the fire service in 1984, and they remained in their mountain home until 1999.
At that point, Jean and Coke decided that they were weary of the isolation caused by mudslides and downed trees and wires, and of roads being closed for weeks at a time. They sold their Boulder Creek home and moved once again, this time to a beautiful hillside home with a majestic view of Clear Lake, in Lakeport, CA.
Over the next 24 years, Coke and Jean lived for family gatherings. They traveled across the USA by car several times. They backpacked in the Trinity Alps, and took cruises at sea with friends and loved ones. They traveled to New Zealand and Alaska. At the age of 91, Jean was able to successfully renew his California driver's license. One true joy of his life was a road trip with Coke, whether visiting friends or family, or just wandering wherever the road would take them.
On the morning of February 18, Jean passed away peacefully. He was in the arms of his beloved Coke, at his home in Lakeport, CA. A gentle passing for a good man.
Jean was pre-deceased by his son, Timothy. Jean is survived by his loving wife of 72 years, Coke Murdock, and his sons that he adored and was so proud of: Gregory (Pam), Terrance (Corky), Kevin (Jenna), and Mitchell (Yolanda). He is further survived by seven grandchildren (Kyle, Jason, Grant, Travis, Jordan, Katelyn, and Elizabeth). Eight great grandchildren followed.
A Celebration of Jean's life will be held at a later date.