Wasco-Statewide County OR Archives Obituaries.....Murtha, Michael Richard August 30, 2005 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/or/orfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Ila Wakley iwakley@msn.com April 11, 2006, 1:55 am The Dalles Chronicle, September 2, 2005 Michael Richard Murtha, 87, a resident of Wasco and a longtime Gilliam and Sherman County rancher, died Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2005, at St. Charles Medical Center in Bend. He was born Jan. 11, 1918, in Condon, to James and Katharine Cantwell Murtha. He attended the Hale Ridge Grade School and the Hay Creek Grade School, then graduated from St. Mary’s Academy High School in The Dalles in 1937. After graduating, he and his father began raising alfalfa hay on the family’s Hay Creek Ranch along the John Day River. They later went into the cattle business. Following the death of his brother, John, Murtha acquired the Cottonwood Ranch along the John Day River and continued in the cattle business until his death. He was a longtime member of St. John Catholic Church, the Condon Elks Lodge and the Knights of Columbus. Survivors include his sister, Mary Chambers, Portland; brothers, James Murtha, Wasco, and Patrick Murtha, Fairfield, Calif.; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, sister Helen, and brothers, John and Robert. Recitation of the rosary will be held Monday, Sept. 5, 10:30 a.m. at St. John Catholic Church in Condon. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Monday at the church. Concluding service and burial will follow at St. Joseph Cemetery in Condon. Memorial contributions may be made to the Condon Dollars for Scholars, P.O. Box 385, Condon, OR 97823, or to St. John Catholic Church Memorial Fund, P.O. Box 485, Condon, OR 97823, or to a charity of choice. Sweeney Mortuary of Condon is in charge of arrangements. Additional Comments: Written permission to reprint given by The Dalles Chronicle, The Dalles, Oregon, Dan Spatz, Editor (e-mail dated 3/7/2006). File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/or/wasco/obits/m/murtha1152gob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/orfiles/ File size: 2.4 Kb