Loie Margaret Mead

Loie Margaret Mead passed away in March 2026 at the age of 92. Born on April 10, 1933, she graduated from Grant High School in 1951, where she had proudly served as a Rose Festival Princess. Her lifelong passion for teaching began in childhood, when she delighted in playing school with her younger sister, Joan. She went on to attend the University of Oregon, graduating in 1955 before marrying Edward Hal Murphy. As Ed pursued medical school and residency, the couple moved across the country, and Loie supported their growing family by teaching high school English in several cities. Together they raised three children.

Loie later served as a respected administrator at the University of Oregon’s Interfaith Campus Ministry Wesley Center, where she worked closely with international students and participated in antiwar activism. In 1980 she embraced the Bahá’í Faith, which became the foundation of her life and guided her commitment to universal peace and service. She helped establish the ROSES Project, collaborating with Portland’s Bahá’í community and local Hmong families as a lead teacher, providing after-school tutoring and mentoring. She especially cherished the involvement of Hmong elders, encouraging them to share their storytelling and musical traditions with younger generations. Her home was a warm gathering place filled with games, books, and art supplies, always ready for learning and creativity.

Deeply engaged in her faith community, Loie was elected to the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Portland and served as Secretary. When the role required new computer skills, she asked her son Mark to help her learn, approaching the challenge with determination, meticulous notes, and characteristic good humor. In 2007 she fulfilled a long-held dream with a nine-day spiritual pilgrimage to Haifa, Israel, an experience she treasured and often recalled.

Loie was a devoted mother, grandmother, daughter, and sister who lived with quiet compassion, steadfast love, and a sense of wonder. She cared tenderly for her mother, Helen, in her final years. She found joy in reading, painting, classical music, picnics, jigsaw puzzles, and flower walks where she would pause to name each bloom. With her grandchildren she sewed, made puppets from wooden spoons, and once organized a joyful hat parade in the backyard. She taught her children never to say they were bored, instead guiding them to lie in the grass and watch the clouds until inspiration came. Her laughter and curiosity brightened every gathering, and her faith shaped a life of kindness and service that touched many.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Helen Marjorie Mead; her sister, Joan Shirley Wilde; and her former spouse, Edward Hal Murphy. Loie is survived by her children, Mark Murphy (Tia La Londe), Katie Wilson (Jay Wilson), and Kelli Taylor (Richard Taylor); six grandchildren, Ian, Emily, Eryn, Elyse, Madison, and Elijah; seven great-grandchildren; and many beloved members of her extended family, including nephews David and Steven Wilde, dear friend and former daughter-in-law Lorraine Irino, and Kristi, who remains a cherished part of the family, along with treasured friends in her Bahá’í community. She leaves behind a legacy of kindness, wonder, and faith that will continue to inspire all who knew her.