Muriel R Poole

Muriel Ruth Chamberlain Poole was born February 17, 1922 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada to Clarence William Chamberlain from Kitchener, Ontario, Canada and Katie Naomi Stephenson Chamberlain, from Sheffield, England. Muriel was one of four children, one of whom died soon after birth. The first of Muriel's siblings was Florence, then Arthur, then Muriel.

Muriel was very much involved in the local Salvation Army while growing up, as was her family. At the age of 21 she moved to Toronto to study at the Salvation Army Bible School there, and then spent 2 years at a Salvation Army post in Vancouver. She then returned to Toronto for the next 4 years rising to the rank of Captain. While in Toronto, a young man named Bert introduced himself to Muriel and after their brief meeting announced he was going to marry her. Just as predicted, Muriel Married Albert Thomas Poole on August 1, 1950.

During their first year of marriage, Bert took a leave from the Salvation Army and looked into other ministries. One day he met the Palermo brothers as they were preparing for a Youth for Christ rally. He went back to Muriel and told her he would be resigning from the Salvation Army, but that if she wanted to remain in that ministry he was fine with that. Muriel's response was, YOU JUST HOLD ON A MINUTE! I MADE THATDECISION WHEN I MARRIED YOU. WE WILL TRUST GOD TOGETHER.

At the rally Bert and Muriel met Billy Graham and his team. They auditioned for a place in the program by performing the Christian Salad Bowl in which they played a non-stop medley using seven different instruments without a break. We know the rest of the story. Their big start as an independent missionary team began when after that rally when they were booked to perform in several churches in Michigan.

After gaining support from a group of church's and individuals, Muriel and Bert began their missionary journey which would last a lifetime. In December of 1952, they left for Japan where they stayed for 1 year. Japan was a devastated country at that time. The people's entire worldview had been turned upside down because the Emperor, whom they considered divine, had promised them victory in World War II and, instead, their country lay in ruins from a devastating defeat. People like Bert and Muriel saw a real opportunity for the Christian gospel and upon their arrival back in the United States in December of 1953, Whitefields Mission was born. The purpose of Whitefields was to raise money to support national church planting pastors in Japan. John 4:35 says, "The fields are white (ripe) already to harvest.

The next phase in Muriel's life was to support their home while her husband developed Whitefileds. She did this by embarking on a brand new career of selling Tupperware, something she carried on for 50 years. Tupperware became an integral part of Muriel's life and she loved the people she worked with so much that when Bert saw her going to work, he said she wasn't really going to work at all; she was going to a party. Muriel wholeheartedly agreed.

Well weather it was work or a party, Muriel experienced great success and in fact, her team was number one in sales for many years. She received the use of a new car from Tupperware every 2 years due to her team's sales. A few years ago, a local news network caught wind of her long and successful career with Tupperware and came to the house to do a segment on her which was shown on the evening news. They labeled her the Tupperware Queen of the United States. What news did not know was that just how much Tupperware Muriel gave away to families like ours. She literally gave us, and others, all we could use.

Meanwhile the mission of Whitefields continued to grow and is now an international mission planting Churches in 8 countries around the world.

No account of Muriel's life would be complete without mentioning how much she loved her animals and even the neighbors goat. Over the years, her animals were a large part of her life. If you were a dog, or cat, or goat living on Muriel's property, you were a lucky animal. To put it mildly, you had it good.

Most of all, though, Muriel loved her nieces, nephews, and many other young people, too, just as if they were their own kids. She and Bert were never able to have kids of their own but they enjoyed many sons and daughters in the Lord. Some of you here today experienced Muriel's love just like you were her own kids. She was mother to the motherless, a soft shoulder for her team or for others that needed a listening ear.

Her nieces and nephews always loved it when Bert and Muriel would come to visit. Niece, Saralie, remembers the enthusiasm Muriel for everything she did - whether it was telling people about the Lord, selling Tupperware, treating us (and other's kids too) like we were her own kids, or befriending others. It just seemed to bubble up out of a heart full of love, said Saralie.

Another niece, Kathy (Chamberlain) Oostra remembers that when Uncle Bert and Aunt Muriel visited there was always one evening that was a "talent show" - everyone had to play something. And everyone got a huge round of applause! Then Uncle Bert would play our old Hammond organ and tell stories and do sound effects on the organ. It was always one big party from the moment they came till they left.

Nephew, Paul Chamberlain, remembers that the length of their visits was always too short. We laughed from the time they arrived until the moment they left, he recalls. Not only could Bert remember old jokes but he made up a constant string of new ones, too. He could be serious when it came to the work of Whitefields but he could also see the funny side of life.

Kathy also remembers how Bert and Muriel wanted to get into our "worlds" any way they could and to encourage us. On one occasion while visiting Kathy and John Oostra in Alberta in the middle of winter, Muriel even got up early one morning, put on a winter coat, and went on John's school bus route with him. If you've been to Alberta in the winter, you'll know that doing that takes commitment!

Nephew Tim Chamberlain remembers the once-is-a-lifetime trip the Chamberlain family made to visit Uncle Bert and Aunt Muriel in 1966. Actually we all remember that trip and will never forget it. We (mom, dad, and 6 kids) traveled 7015 miles from Alberta to South Carolina, in a 1958 Ford station-wagon with no AC. But who cared, we were going to see Uncle Bert and Aunt Muriel. The entire trip was 4 weeks-- the best holiday of my life, says Tim.

The story of Muriel's life would not be complete without a special word of appreciation and thanks for Bert and Muriel's long-time friends, Don and Cookie Ayles. You've seen them here today. On Thanksgiving Day of 1999, God called Bert home from this world. In the weeks leading up to that day, Bert knew the end was near and he asked Don and Cookie to care for Muriel once he was gone. Over these past 17 years, they have stepped up and carried out that request faithfully, caring for Muriel's needs whatever they were:

practical, emotional, financial, and much more. God bless, you Don and Cookie! We know others helped, too, but you were a constant blessing to Muriel in her life without Bert, and we honor you for that.

Nephew Jim Chamberlain, who spent a few days with Muriel several weeks ago, was deeply inspired by Muriel's perspective on life as she saw death approaching. Anyone who knew Muriel knew that her devotion to Jesus Christ had driven her entire life, and when it came time to leave this world, nothing was more evident than her rock solid faith in her Savior. In her mind, this life and the next were so real that there was really no separation between the two - just people here to be with (her church friends, us, etc.) or people who have gone on ahead to be with (Bert, Art, Katie, etc.), and she was simply excited to be in either place as her Lord saw fit. What a way to live! And what a way to die!

There is nothing Muriel would want more than for all her friends and family to know this same Jesus and to join her in heaven someday. Muriel's life has much to teach to teach us about how to live this life and how to prepare for the next.

The Chamberlain Family