Carma Rae (Murdock) Elam

Carma Rae Murdock was born in Fresno, California on April 20, 1933 to Ina Bates Foster and James Wells Murdock. Her family moved to Salt Lake City, then Yakima, before finally settling in Boise, Idaho. She graduated from Boise High School with the class of 1951, where she met her lifelong friend Jackie MacGregor and future husband, Frank Elam. Carma attended Boise Junior College, the predecessor to Boise State University. She volunteered for the St. Luke’s Auxiliary society at the hospital where her mother, Ina, worked. She worked for United Airlines, and it was during this time that she was courted by Frank; as he would drive out to the Boise Airport to visit her. She later worked for a time at Franklin Building Supply.

Carma and Frank were married on August 20, 1955. They raised four children together, first Debbie then Andy, David, and Ed. The young family split their time between Moscow, where Frank was completing his law studies, and McCall, Idaho in the summers. Carma would drive the family station wagon, full to bursting with all the children and a veritable menagerie of pets (cats, dogs, parakeets, even ducks, turtles, and Flower, the calf) between the two towns. Frank would pull the family’s 8’x30’ trailer behind; the trip took him up-and-over the treacherous mountain passes at Lewiston and White Bird Hill, and lasted a full 24 hours in those days. After Frank graduated from law school, the family settled in Boise for a few years, where he worked with his father’s firm, Elam & Burke, before starting his own law practice.

The family moved to McCall in 1971, as Frank moved his law office into the Shore Lodge. The whole family cut and peeled the logs used to build their 3-story log house with the help of Carma and Frank’s friend from school, Billy Mockowitz, who ran the nearby Burgdorf sawmill. Carma worked at Kirk Insurance, and was active in the McCall Hospital Auxiliary. She developed treasured friendships with many of the women of McCall through her membership in two bridge clubs.

Eventually, Frank moved the law office to the upper floor of the McCall Yacht Club, and Carma worked there alongside him. They hosted regular bridge games with Bob and Marcia Kirk (Bob ran the fire management org. SITPA), Gaylord and Marilyn Krahn from Krahn’s Furniture, and Billy and Sue Mockowitz. Carma built a special connection with the town and people of McCall over those years, and above all enjoyed drinking a cup of coffee on their deck, looking out over Payette Lake.

Later, Carma and Frank split their time between Boise and McCall to take care of Frank’s mother, Lila. They renovated and moved into an apartment in Lila’s home on Harrison Boulevard, and lived in a series of 3 homes over these years in Boise. In Boise, Carma stayed involved with organizing reunions for her class at Boise High, and with the P.E.O. She cultivated a love of the arts, supporting the Boise Philharmonic and attended theatrical productions at the Morrison Center. They had season tickets to the Boise Hawks’ baseball games; and would bring along their grandchildren to share ice cream in the stands under the summer sun. Carma walked a succession of Shih Tzus here, first Dinkie, then Elmer, then Zoey; and she spoiled them all.

Carma developed new friendships during these years with lifelong friend Diane Dixon, and with Janice Campagna and Bernie Forstner, who she met at the YMCA. She traveled far and wide with these good friends to the Oregon Coast, Palm Springs, a cruise to Alaska, and all the way to Tuscany. She also accompanied daughter-in-law Shari and grandson Kendall to Belize, where they explored lush rainforests and beautiful beaches.

After a lifetime of joy, love, and adventure, Carma eventually moved in next-door to her son, Ed in Boise. Ed, John, and Kendall were blessed to have the opportunity to deepen their connection with her during these years over afternoons in Carma’s garden and dinners in Ed’s backyard. During her last years here, Carma developed important relationships with several extraordinary caregivers (Sarah, JoAnne, and Misty) who brought her warmth, companionship, and joy, and to whom she and Ed are forever grateful.

Carma brought a gracious, fun-loving spirit everywhere she went, and possessed an incomparable ability to always find the best in everyone around her. All who knew her will remember her for her kindness, her generosity, and her loyalty as a friend, partner, mother and grandmother. Carma passed away peacefully at home on her 93rd birthday, on April 20, 2026. She leaves behind her four children (Debbie, Andy, David, and Ed), seven grandchildren (Laurel, Jenna, Chad, Brooke, Melissa, Jason, and Kendall), and eight great-grandchildren. She continues on to join so many dear friends, loved ones, and pets in the next phase of life. She will be missed, honored, and never forgotten by those she spent her life with.

A viewing will be held at Alden-Waggoner Funeral Chapel, on Sunday, April 26th from 4-6 p.m. There will be a graveside service At Morris Hill Cemetery on Monday, April 27th at 11:00 AM for family and close friends. In lieu of flowers, consider a donation to the Idaho Humane Society or charity of your choice.