MURRAY, Edward
CONVERSION CERTIFICATION
MARCIA HENRY, CERTIFIER
HOME VISIT: 2?17-83

I. FAMILY

FOSTER FATHER:

Edward Murray, d.o.b. 5?2-55, was born in Seattle, Washington, raised by both
parents along with five sisters and one brother. Ed relates that he was the
middle child, first boy. He relates his five sisters pampered him terribly
while he was a preschooler and later became five bosses. His brother, who was

ll months younger than he and he paired up and established an excellent relation?
ship which has lasted through the years. HQ remembers his father working for the
State of washington in the Department of Forestry. His employment consisted of
buying and selling state land. He and Ed.had a good relationship although a

bit distant. His father, who died when Ed was 19 years of age, interacted

with all the children, initiated special excursions and trips for both the girls
and the boys. Ed remembers his mother was a full time homemaker, interested in
the children, easygoing, very matriarchal, in charge of the household. He said
that she was very talkative and intellectual with strong interests in the arts

and . Ed stated that when he was in school, he was an excellent student,
very solid academically. He was senior body president inrhigh school, was actively
involved in cross?country racing, was on the baseball team for one year, very
busy with school activities and actively involved in the outdoor education program.
Graduated high school and felt that he thoroughly enjoyed those years

After graduating high school in 1974, Ed became involved with work for the Catholic
Diocese of Brooklyn, New York, Catholic Services. He went to Ireland for one year
working on the reconciliation program sponsored.hy American and Dutch Catholic
groups. This program was youth oriented, attempts to get Catholic and Protestant
together and Ed relates that, unhappily the program was very unsuccessful. The
only success that he saw during his stay in Ireland was the_two weeks stay with

30 children in Wales. He stated that after a short while, they began to inter?
act and acknowledge each other. He said was that after a two week
period of time when children returned home, they all appeared to be back in the
same old mold. In 1975, at the deathzof hisfmothem,EEd returned home.; After the
funeral he went to work again for the Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn and was 
certified by New York State as a children's counselor. Part of his work

was Parry counseling, working with some street kids, minority children,
both Black and Puerto Rican. He said he enjoyed it but he burned out and he felt
that after a year in Ireland and two-years with the New York kids,he needed a
change of pace. He returned to Portland, entered the University of Portland in
1977, majoring in philosophy and social service. He graduated in 1980 with a
Bachelor of Arts Degree. He is planning to work towards his master's degree.

He described himself as very politicallycactive, has headed many political
organization groups in_Portland and has worked part time and eventually full time
at Parry Center. When employed at Parry Center after graduation, Ed was a

child care worker whose duties were responsibilities for up to 8 children on
shift, supervision of staff, plus a one on one relationship with one of the
children in the group. In 1980 he accepted employment with the Metropolitan

 

 

MURRAY, Edward
Page 2

Public Defenders Office as a trial assistant and para?legal. _He states that

this organization is private, non profit, contracted with Multnomah County,
Clackamas and Washington Counties. At this po 'nt, he enjoys his employment

and within the next year or two will be investigating a similar position in
private sector or perhaps return to.school to complete his master's degree.

He states that he is socially active, dating occasionally, attending many
socialfathletic functions. Ed lists his hobbies as movies, reads extensively,
writes, political organizationg cross? country skiing, backpacking, weight lifting,
attendance at the spa or YMCA. He states he also squeezes in interaction with
such organizations as People for Prison Alternatives, Democratic Party,: Democratic
Socialist Organization Society, St. Andrews Parish, National Lawyer's Guild, which
is a watchdog of the police force. He stated that while he has become a foster
parent, he has stopped most of his interaction with these organizationydue to

lack of time. When asked about his alcohol usage, Ed Murray stated that he had
one or-two drinks occasionally once or twice a week after work. He will also

have a glass of wine with dinner when he is out socially.

II. HOME AND COMMUNITY:

Foster parent resides in an apartment in Northwest area-of Portland consisting of
two bedrooms, large area living room, dining area, compact open floor plan kitchen,
plus one bathroom. It is located in an older area of homes, apartments, and
businesses on busy main street of Northwest Glisan. The apartment is carpeted,
has smoke alarms and the required fire extinguisher. It is located on the second
floor of the old, newly_renovated apartment building which dOes have emergency
exit backstairs, allowing good fire exits from all apartments. walk?
through the foster home showed no'apparentlhealth, safety or fire hazards.
completed foster parent provider check list has been'submitted. Lincol High

School services the Dietrict.

A



Jeff Simpson, d. o. b. 10?19?67 was placed with foster parent Edward Murray on
11?04?82. Ed Murray was in the past,4?Parry Center staff member who worked
closely with Jeff when Jeff was placed at Parry Center. He and Jeff have worked
consistently to establish a comfortable home and acceptable behavior rule?-
Realizing the major behavior problems that Jeff has shown in the past, Ed Murray
has carefully.created strong house rules and modes of behavior acceptable in the
community. .His initial ground rules are: Jeff is to attend school regularly and
participate as needed, he is to obey the laws of the city (Jeff is on suspended
commitment to McLaren). Jeff is aware that if he breaks house or society rules,
that he will have to leave the Mhrray foster home. Jeff is responsible for half
of the cleaning of the apartment and is responsible for his own laundry. The last
rule of the household is thereiis no acceptable drug or alcohol-usage. Jeff, in
the past, has had major problems choosing good peer groups, He has been con?
sidered a heavy street kid, chronically truant from school. Since'the placement,
his choices within his peer group have improved, he is playing basketball regularly
and associating with kids who are on the basketball team in high school, and

he visits two weekends a month with.his basketball coach who is also a 
and seems to enjoy the visits with the coach.and his family very much. Jeff, when
he first arrived at the foster home, had no concept of people' 5 personal ownership
or comprehension of privacy. Ed Mhrray has explained that Jeff is now developing
respect for his own area and possessions and is beginning to understand that respect