Lauretta Grace Hillam Murdoch, 92, of Rexburg, died of natural causes Sunday April 30, 2017 at home surrounded by her family.

She is survived by her children Gwen Freeman (Fred), Patricia Wodskow (Ron), Bryan (Debbie), Molly Cook (Karl), Richard (Lori), LaRae Mackay (Gary), Marilyn Hansen (Gary), and Bradley. She is also survived by two sisters, Nina Myers and Vonda Bjorn, one brother Rulon Hillam, 78 grandchildren, 105 great grandchildren and one great great grandchild.

Grace was born at her grandmother's home in Marysville on April 3, 1925 to George Marvin Hillam and Laura May Lemmon, joining a sister Nina.

Raised in Marysville, Grace learned to be a hard worker. With 6 sisters and one brother, she learned to feed and herd cows and irrigate. In fact she was Grandpa Hillam's favorite irrigator. She also learned to sew doll clothes by hand as they were watching cattle feeding; a skill that kept her family clothed and well dressed for many years.

She was educated at Marysville and Ashton Schools and obtained an associate of business degree at Ricks College.

Grace married her sweetheart, James Howard Murdoch June 4, 1946 in the Idaho Falls temple when he returned from the war. They lived in Ashton where 8 children were born to them. In 1972 they moved to Rexburg where Howard worked for Ricks College. They served a mission to Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1988-90 after retiring from the Madison School District lunch program. Grace loved to work and always had a large garden and raspberry patch. She loved to serve her family, her grandchildren and all her neighbors and friends.

She was a member of the LDS Church where she served in the auxiliary organizations and Idaho Falls temple and always was a faithful visiting teacher. She was an excellent seamstress , quilter and crocheted blankets for all her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Over the years she has been a tremendous influence and mentor to her family, neighbors and friends.

Her posterity numbers over 200. She was preceded in death by her sweetheart Howard, two sons-in-law Ron Wodskow and Fred Freeman, three sisters, Lola Packer, Margaret Hansen, Bernice Davidson and her parents Laura and Marvin Hillam.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 6, at the Rexburg 3rd and 9th Ward Chapel, 345 South 3rd West, with Bishop Daren Call officiating. The family will receive friends Friday evening from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. at Flamm Funeral Home in Rexburg and Saturday from 10:00 to 10:45 a.m. at the church prior to services. Interment will follow immediately after the services at the Pineview Cemetery in Ashton.