Obituary for Lois Murdock Libby
Lois Murdock Libby passed away peacefully in her Lamoine, Maine home on February 4, 2024, with her husband Larry and their two daughters Jennifer and Liz at her side. She was 81 and had suffered from ALS for the last five years.
Lois was born in Roxbury, Massachusetts in 1942 to Bill and Mildred Murdock and spent most of her childhood in Newton with her two younger brothers, James and Michael. She attended the University of Maine in Orono from 1959 to 1963 and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. While there, Lois met her future husband and partner of 61 years Larry Libby.
Lois and Larry’s lives together began in Ozark, Alabama where Larry began a short career as an Army aviator. Lois joined him soon after in Seoul, Korea where she found employment through a Korean agency that facilitated adoption of Korean children by US families, personally accompanying four children back to the States to meet their adopting parents. She also taught conversational English to Korean government officials.
In 1970, Lois, Larry and their two daughters settled in East Lansing, Michigan, where they spent the bulk of their next 17 years. During that time, Lois earned a master’s in social work at Wayne State University in Detroit and became known as a fierce social justice advocate, standing up for women’s rights, the needs of people with disabilities, racial equality, and the rights of low-income people. While working for the State of Michigan, Lois led job training programs to help individuals with disabilities and women and was a board member of the East Lansing Economic Crisis Center, offering assistance to women and children in need. She was also active in the local Democratic party.
After moving to Gainesville, Florida in 1987, Lois implemented Title IX programs for young female athletes at the University of Florida and continued her efforts to define and protect the rights of women and racial minorities in the workplace.
Lois and Larry retired to Lamoine, Maine, on beautiful Partridge Cove, in 2010. Lois soon made friends and an impact on local life in Downeast Maine, as a member of the garden club and a local book club, in the Hancock County Democratic Committee, and as a fundraiser and volunteer for the local elementary school.
Lois is survived by her husband Larry Libby, daughters Jennifer Libby Weeks and Elizabeth “Liz” Libby, son-in-law Oli Watt, brother James Murdock, sister-in-law Ginny Toner, niece Sara Murdock, and grandchildren Rachel, Aaron, Charles, and Lewis.
A celebration of Lois’s life will take place sometime in the spring. In lieu of flowers, please send a donation to the ALS Association, 200 Friberg Parkway, Suite 1000, Westborough, Mass. 01581
Condolences may be expressed at www.jordanfernald.com
Lois was born in Roxbury, Massachusetts in 1942 to Bill and Mildred Murdock and spent most of her childhood in Newton with her two younger brothers, James and Michael. She attended the University of Maine in Orono from 1959 to 1963 and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. While there, Lois met her future husband and partner of 61 years Larry Libby.
Lois and Larry’s lives together began in Ozark, Alabama where Larry began a short career as an Army aviator. Lois joined him soon after in Seoul, Korea where she found employment through a Korean agency that facilitated adoption of Korean children by US families, personally accompanying four children back to the States to meet their adopting parents. She also taught conversational English to Korean government officials.
In 1970, Lois, Larry and their two daughters settled in East Lansing, Michigan, where they spent the bulk of their next 17 years. During that time, Lois earned a master’s in social work at Wayne State University in Detroit and became known as a fierce social justice advocate, standing up for women’s rights, the needs of people with disabilities, racial equality, and the rights of low-income people. While working for the State of Michigan, Lois led job training programs to help individuals with disabilities and women and was a board member of the East Lansing Economic Crisis Center, offering assistance to women and children in need. She was also active in the local Democratic party.
After moving to Gainesville, Florida in 1987, Lois implemented Title IX programs for young female athletes at the University of Florida and continued her efforts to define and protect the rights of women and racial minorities in the workplace.
Lois and Larry retired to Lamoine, Maine, on beautiful Partridge Cove, in 2010. Lois soon made friends and an impact on local life in Downeast Maine, as a member of the garden club and a local book club, in the Hancock County Democratic Committee, and as a fundraiser and volunteer for the local elementary school.
Lois is survived by her husband Larry Libby, daughters Jennifer Libby Weeks and Elizabeth “Liz” Libby, son-in-law Oli Watt, brother James Murdock, sister-in-law Ginny Toner, niece Sara Murdock, and grandchildren Rachel, Aaron, Charles, and Lewis.
A celebration of Lois’s life will take place sometime in the spring. In lieu of flowers, please send a donation to the ALS Association, 200 Friberg Parkway, Suite 1000, Westborough, Mass. 01581
Condolences may be expressed at www.jordanfernald.com