Sharing My Story

Dr. Narramore and Ruth and their two children, Melodie and Kevin
often performed as a family singing group during the Seminars and
other events. The Narramore family were all very musically talented.
After work while waiting to go home Dr. Narramore often sat down
at the NCF piano and played classical religious and classical pieces
from memory. The Narramores were gracious hosts and usually had
dinners for the Seminar attendees at their Pasadena home. I,
as an often "holiday orphan," spent several nice Christmas or
Thanksgiving meals with the family. Melodie Narramore was
a drama instructor at Biola university and later California
Baptist College (Riverside). Kevin Narramore specialized in
organizational psychology and later became a consultant. My contact
with the younger Narramores was somewhat limited during the
time I worked there.

Dr. Narramore was well connected within the contemporary
evangelical Christian movement. When Billy Graham needed
counseling for his employees he would contact Dr. Narramore.
During the seminars there were different devotional speakers
that were lined up to challenge the attendees. One morning
Chuck Smith, the founder of the Calvary Chapel movement,
spoke. Dr. Narramore enjoyed telling a story about a young
graduate psychological student who came to him for advise.
This student was preparing to launch a career in the counseling
field and asked Dr. Narramore whether there was room in the
field of Christian psychology for other workers such as himself.
Dr. Narramore encourage the young man to avail himself of the
opportunity to enter Christian psychology. There was more than
enough room in the then pioneering field. This young man was
James Dobson, the founder of Focus on the Family.