Gurdon’s Obituary

Gurdon Ransom Miller III, known to friends and family as “Murph,” died on November 4, 2024, at home in Forestville, California. He is survived by his beloved wife Catriona; daughter Samantha; sons Alden, Jacob, and Malcolm; daughter-in-law Heidi; and his grandchildren Noe and Rowen.

Born in northern Colorado and raised in southern California and New Mexico, Murph was a lifelong artist, polymath, and intellectual whose loyalty, commitment, and inquisitive mind left an indelible mark on everyone in his world. His life was defined by dedication to his wife, family, friends, and the artwork he saw as essential to his purpose. His unforgiving intellectual curiosity imbued him with a well-sharpened sense of critical thinking, keen for discussion on a variety of subjects.

CAREER

After graduating from El Monte High School, Murph majored in art and geography at UC Berkeley, enriching his understanding of the world, profoundly shaping his work and personal philosophy.

Armed with a Master’s degree in urban planning from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY, Murph began his 30-year career in the field of land use policy and zoning as an urban planner in Newark, NJ, where he became a senior city planner. He spoke fondly of his favorite assignment as the planning department’s liaison to the city police department: to shepherd a new firing range through the permitting process. (He loved the field work.)

It was at the Los Angeles City Planning Department that Murph had a major impact in a career that spanned more than 25 years. He once again rose through the ranks to senior city planner based on his original technical contributions and his effectiveness as a collaborator. Early on he was involved in ground-breaking policy documents on water quality, air quality, and housing, as well as strategies for city-wide General Plan implementation. Later, he was in the forefront of the effort to make community plans compatible with recently enacted, state-wide coastal development regulations.

Deep down, Murph most relished his role as the nurturer and protector of the “counter culture.” When he retired, he was managing the department's primary public counter, responsible for supervising a large staff of planners and clerical workers and providing an array of services to the development community and the general public. His worldview required that he cultivate a team mentality among staff, from whom he demanded excellence of service. Murph was well-known as fiercely protective of any staff member subjected to rudeness or abuse.

When he wasn't exercising his technical expertise and interpersonal skills in the workplace, they were on display through his volunteer work for the city of Sierra Madre CA, where he lived with his family. He was able to provide land use and zoning perspectives for addressing the myriad challenges facing a hillside community with limited access and an extensive wildland interface. He served on the city’s Planning Commission and was a member of the Sierra Madre Historical Society.

REAL CAREER

Murph, a Northern California Bay Area artist deeply influenced by the post-war Bay Area Abstract Art Expressionist movement, was active in the arts community throughout California, including as a member of the Arroyo Arts Collective and the board of LA Art Core in Los Angeles and the Edgewater Gallery, an artist-owned collective in Fort Bragg, CA, where he maintained a studio for over twenty years connecting him to the beauty of the Pacific coast. He drew inspiration from a variety of influences, producing works of photography and painting with the intention to provoke viewers’ thoughts. He coined the term “sensory experience of perception” to describe his exploration of the profound impact of art on the human spirit.

As he observed the world changing and becoming increasingly urbanized, his art began to grapple with themes of nature, environmental preservation, and humanity’s impact on the planet. His reflections on the natural world and the transformation of landscapes captured an enduring reverence for the earth’s beauty and his concern for its future. Deeply progressive, with a profound sense of right and wrong, his humanism transcended that of being merely an “armed leftist,” as he would sometimes jokingly refer to himself.

Murph’s intellectual vision was rooted in the power and autonomy of art and the artist’s role as one of intense individuality, free from external demands. To him, creating art was both an emotional and sensory experience: “When I look at a painting, I experience distinctive, simultaneously occurring physical reactions . . . an emotional, visceral, and visual experience.”

He was able to gain a greater perspective of the world and its changing

environment through genuine curiosity about other cultures. One of his earliest journeys abroad was on a Norwegian cargo ship, where he was first exposed to southeastern Asia as a young man. He continued to travel throughout his life, to all corners of the country, Europe, and other far-away parts of the world.

Murph’s intellectual and artistic journey was shaped by many mentors and friends whom he credited with influencing his perspective on art and life.

Arlene Washburn, his fourth-grade teacher whom he lovingly called “Lene,” was a lifelong mentor. She taught him the fundamentals of drawing and painting, and her belief in his talent encouraged him to pursue art with conviction.

In high school, instructor Harold Webb introduced Murph to the world of science and critical thinking, providing a foundation of intellectual curiosity. Webb’s mentorship led Murph to view science as a means to understand the universe, strengthening his analytical mind.

At UC Berkeley, art professor Erle Loran introduced Murph to Abstract Expressionism. Loran’s book, Cézanne’s Composition, became a lifelong source of inspiration for Murph, imparting a deep appreciation for the depth of Cézanne’s compositions and the transformative power of abstract art. Paul Wheatley and Clarence Glacken also shaped Murph’s appreciation for cultural geography and environmental perception. Glacken’s Traces on the Rhodian Shore sparked Murph’s lifelong interest in the intersection of culture and environment.

Etc.

Murph also pursued rock climbing, surfing, mountaineering, and banjo playing. He was a voracious and lifelong reader, often reading through the night, a plate of buttered saltines (“butter sandwiches”) nearby. Amongst so many areas of interest, he enjoyed Accidents in North American Mountaineering, National Geographic, Comparative Studies in Society and History, as well as the works of Beat writers, especially Jack Kerouac and Gary Snyder, and art historian Hans Belting. Those close to him will always remember his enthusiastic recommendation of Alfred Leslie and Robert Frank’s classic film, Pull My Daisy. Have you seen it? You should.

A master modeler, Murph recreated in immense, painstaking detail his favorite rail cars, engines and buildings by hand. His love of trains grew from trips as a child on the Santa Fe line between southern California and New Mexico. He became enthralled with historic Southern Pacific trains from a young age following a trip to the Owens Valley. His appreciation of trains and railways expanded to include those of Europe as well, especially Swiss Rail. He was active in the European Train Enthusiasts of America, the Southern Pacific Narrow Gauge Historical Society and other Californian model railroad communities. His knowledge of American and European railway systems was unparalleled.

And more: his eclectic musical tastes, love of modern dance, conversational knowledge of the German language and its various dialects, appreciation of Lotus sports cars and funky old Land Rovers, his impeccable fashion sense, respect for nature, fondness for long road trips across the American west and driving the winding highways of northern California. A pâtissier extraordinaire, his most delicious pies, biscuits and pastries from scratch were always a favorite. Murph’s singular wit (how to say “hola” in Tibet), invariably enjoyed with his hearty chuckle, will be missed.

A Lovely Man, Breathless No Longer

Murph’s life was remarkable for his uncompromising and independent spirit, his loyalty and generosity to friends and family, his commitment to art, and his enduring intellectual curiosity. He leaves behind a legacy of conversations, thought, and teaching. His art provides a lasting vision that challenges us to see an aesthetic deeper than the “pretty” pictures he intentionally avoided making.

Towards the end of his life, despite the effects of severe interstitial pulmonary fibrosis, Murph would often gaze out into the world, remark on its beauty, and ask, “How could I complain?”

“When good Americans die they go to Paris.” -- Oscar Wilde

May it be so.

If you would like to make a donation in memory of Gurdon/Murph, the family asks that contributions be made to:

You can contact them by phone at (707) 964-9404 or via email at info@fortbraggfoodbank.org.