Rochelle A. Murray

Services will be Saturday, August 6, 2022 at 2 pm at The Runge Mortuary. Visitation will be Saturday from 12 pm until the 2 pm service, at the mortuary. Her final resting place will be in Davenport Memorial Park Cemetery. Online condolences may be left at www.rungemortuary.com. Memorials may go to the Midwest Writing Center.

Rochelle was born on December 14, 1936 in Davenport, Iowa, the daughter of Walter and Lila Kroeger Murray.

Rochelle graduated from Marycrest College in Davenport in 1959 with her Bachelor’s Degree in Speech and Drama. She received a Master’s Degree in Library Science from the University of Wisconsin in 1968.

Rochelle’s professional career spanned over 45 years in the children’s services of the Davenport Public Library. She dedicated her life to promote literacy and the love of reading to the young people of the Quad City area. The Davenport Public Library Board of Trustees voted to rename the children’s library to the Rochelle A. Murray Children’s Center. She worked for 18 years as a radio show hostess for WOC Radio and for several years had a television show with the city of Davenport on a cable TV channel focusing on the cultural life in the Quad City area.

Because of her interest in children’s literature and friendship with author, David R. Collins, she was a founder and director of the Children’s Literature Festival, now the Rochelle A. Murray Children’s Literature Festival. For over 30 years annually, tens of thousands of students, teachers, and chaperones have attended, met, and learned from authors and illustrators.

In addition to the festival, Rochelle played a major role in developing the Midwest Writing Center. She was a Emeritus Board Member. Rochelle always supported the creators of the written word and showcased their talents in so many ways. She organized and presented the annual Salute to Authors while at the Davenport Library. This event honored our local authors. Along with a small group of Midwest Writing Center board members, she planned and offered the first David R. Collins Writers’ Conference, which has now completed its 17th year and continues to be a highlight for many local and regional writers. She spearheaded the creation of the Midwest Writing Center Legacy Society.

All of these activities had Rochelle giving hundreds of volunteer hours annually. Rochelle eagerly shared her time, talent, and treasure in promoting the literary arts in our community. She is acknowledged in numerous local authors work. She was a true champion of the literary arts.

Awards include the Bi-State Literacy Council Award, Sister Camille Clark Exemplary Service Award, Lloyd Schoeneman Community Arts Supporter Impact Award, Mississippi Bend Reading Council Merit Award, and the Cornelia Meigs Award for Children’s Literature in the Quad Cities.

Memberships include Kappa Gamma Pi Honor Society, Beta Phi Mu International Honor Society, Alpha Delta Kappa, and the Midwest Writing Center Legacy Society.

Rochelle was the most kind and delightful of people: caring enthusiastic, upbeat, and always optimistic about the future. With every encounter, she would leave you feeling better than when you arrived. She loved parties, reading mysteries, and visiting with friends.