Donor Spotlight: Karel Lea Murphy
On April 13, 1936, Karel Jalink was born and spent her childhood exploring the great outdoors with her parents and sister, Druska—often fishing along the shores of Shaw Island, the smallest of the San Juan Islands in Washington State.
After graduating from Everett High School, Karel attended Western Washington University, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Education. For the next twenty years, she inspired students as a physical education teacher at Sehome High School, where she was affectionately nicknamed “Sarge.” Karel was a woman ahead of her time. When she experienced being a female faculty member who was required to wear skirts, nylons, and heels to meetings, she successfully petitioned the school to change the rule—pointing out that, as a PE teacher, she was constantly changing clothes and hurrying to meetings after class. That small but meaningful victory became a point of pride for her, symbolizing progress for women in the workplace.
Outside the classroom, Karel’s adventurous spirit knew no bounds. She was a licensed private pilot, the first woman to hold a commercial fishing license in Neah Bay, an avid skier, and a member of the Mt. Baker Ski Patrol. She married David Murphy and embraced life as a stepmother to Melinda and Michael—and later, as a grandmother who shared her many talents and passions.
Karel loved working in her garden, canning, quilting, baking, cooking, and helping with farm life. After she and David purchased their farm in Ephrata, she became known as a skilled tractor driver and a dependable right-hand woman. In retirement, the couple continued their adventures, spending summers deep-sea fishing in Alaska, traveling to the Baja, and wintering in Yuma later in life.
Whether behind the controls of an airplane or at the helm of a boat, Karel was capable, confident, and accomplished. She valued hard work, education, and independence—and in her later years, she ensured that those values would continue to make an impact. Through her estate, she left a generous gift to the Columbia Basin Foundation to support students pursuing degrees in education or individuals who are returning to school to continue their education.
Karel had a deep faith in people and an enduring generosity that touched countless lives. Though she passed away on October 13, 2017, her spirit—and her legacy—live on through the opportunities she created for others.
Thank you, Karel, for your remarkable life and lasting gift.