Dalton Edward Murrah (1915 - 2015)
Audeen Smith (1916 - 2008)
Dalton Edward, the first of Jesse and Eva's seven children, was
born in on November 20, 1915 near Tahoka in Lynn County, Texas. At the age of 2,
his parents moved first to Erick, Oklahoma for a short period of
time and then to Iowa Park near Wichita Falls, Texas where his
father, Jesse, worked in the oil fields. In 1925, the now larger
family relocated to Bailey County, Texas and settled on a farm.
Dalton was nine years old and had three siblings. He was
enrolled in the Muleshoe public school system and graduated
from high school there.
Dalton met Audeen Smith at a very young age in Progress where their familes attended church and community activites. Audeen, daughter of Tom and Callie Smith, was born January 12, 1916 at Perrin (Jack County) Texas. The Smith family moved to Black Water Valley (Bailey County) in 1924 and the children attended school in West Camp and Farwell.
Dalton had severe allergies from the Texas dust and had to keep his head wrapped and wear googles when working on the farm. One day in 1935 Dalton told Audeen's parents that he was "fixin" to move to the mountains of Colorado and sure would like to take their little girl with him. Apparently, they agreed and the two were married August 24, 1935. They didn't get to Colorado right away, opting to follow a job proposal in Wichita, Kansas working for Stearman Aircraft (later Boeing) on production of the B-29. Audeen went into the business of raising their son and daughter who were born in Wichita. In 1945, still looking for that cool, clean air, the family moved to Alamosa in the southern Colorado Rocky Mountains where Dalton worked as an automobile body and paint technician.
Then in 1953 they moved to the Black Forest outside of Colorado Springs and Dalton continued auto body work for three years. For the next 25 years, Dalton and Audeen managed La Foret, a church camp in the Black Forest. They stayed in the Black Forest after retirement and Dalton continued to reside there following the passing of Audeen in 2008. They had 73 years of wedded bliss. Dalton passed away March 7, 2015, 8 1/2 months short of his 100th birthday.
Dalton met Audeen Smith at a very young age in Progress where their familes attended church and community activites. Audeen, daughter of Tom and Callie Smith, was born January 12, 1916 at Perrin (Jack County) Texas. The Smith family moved to Black Water Valley (Bailey County) in 1924 and the children attended school in West Camp and Farwell.
Dalton had severe allergies from the Texas dust and had to keep his head wrapped and wear googles when working on the farm. One day in 1935 Dalton told Audeen's parents that he was "fixin" to move to the mountains of Colorado and sure would like to take their little girl with him. Apparently, they agreed and the two were married August 24, 1935. They didn't get to Colorado right away, opting to follow a job proposal in Wichita, Kansas working for Stearman Aircraft (later Boeing) on production of the B-29. Audeen went into the business of raising their son and daughter who were born in Wichita. In 1945, still looking for that cool, clean air, the family moved to Alamosa in the southern Colorado Rocky Mountains where Dalton worked as an automobile body and paint technician.
Then in 1953 they moved to the Black Forest outside of Colorado Springs and Dalton continued auto body work for three years. For the next 25 years, Dalton and Audeen managed La Foret, a church camp in the Black Forest. They stayed in the Black Forest after retirement and Dalton continued to reside there following the passing of Audeen in 2008. They had 73 years of wedded bliss. Dalton passed away March 7, 2015, 8 1/2 months short of his 100th birthday.
Children
m. Linda Mary Bair Shipman
m. Douglas Green
Grandchildren
Courting years