Special auto donation honors legacy of long-time animal lover
When Judith and Ted Parker loaded their 1982 Jeep Cherokee onto the trailer for the trip to OHS, they knew it was the end of an important chapter for their family. They also knew OHS was where the beloved family treasure was supposed to go.
Judith’s father, Les Murphy, received the Jeep as a retirement gift in 1982 from Portland-based Pacific Machinery and Tool Steel Company. He had worked there for 46 years, with exception for two years served in the Navy during World War II. For years, he logged miles across Oregon’s roads camping, fishing and exploring. Many with his beloved chocolate lab Buddy. He drove the Jeep until he died in 2004. Judith inherited the Jeep and it sat idle for years before being revived in 2015.
Judith and Ted enjoyed adventures in the Jeep for a few years before deciding it was time to downsize. They agreed the Jeep needed to honor Judith’s father and her mother, Lee Murphy, for their love and compassion for animals. Judith has had a long connection to OHS – from when she adopted her first dog in 1969 to purchasing bricks in memory of Les and Lee during the capital campaign to build the new shelter in 2000 and Medical Learning Center in 2006. “Mom and Dad would love that the Jeep was going to help the animals at OHS,” says Judith.
As Ted fired up the Jeep one last time to unload it from the trailer, Judith looked on with her dog Seamus at her side and smiled. “I hope it goes to someone who will appreciate and take good care of it.”
OHS accepts many types for donation. For more information, please https://www.oregonhumane.org/donate/donate-vehicles-more/autos-for-animals/
