WILLIAM (BILL) MURRAY

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WILLIAM (BILL) MURRAY Peacefully in Dauphin, MB on Sunday, September 23, 2001, after facing cancer the way he did all the challenges of his life, with determination and dignity. He leaves to mourn his passing, his loving wife of 55 years, Margaret; daughter Trudy (Bruce) of Gilbert Plains, MB; sons, Terry (Lynda) of Thompson, MB, Bill Jr. (Evelyn) of Gilbert Plains, Dean (Bev) of Gilbert Plains, Dale (Tannis) of Regina, SK; beloved grandchildren, Terry-Lynn, Rob, Cary, Kimberly, Bobby, Abby, Jamie, Jennell, Rachel; four great-grandchildren, Brittany, Matthew, Madison, Kennedy; and sister Helen (Ad) of Winnipeg. Bill was predeceased by his parents, Issac in 1964, Dorothy in 1960; brothers, Ernie and Jack; sisters, Jean and Doris. Bill had operated in partnership with Frank Hewlko the Plains Bakery for 25 years. He later was employed with the Gilbert Plains Co-op and spent the last 15 years of his employment as Greens-keeper for the Gilbert Plains Golf and Country Club. Although Bill will be remembered for many things, his athletic ability is what was outstanding. He enjoyed golfing and curling, but it was baseball and hockey where he made his mark. He was an outstanding shortstop and second baseman with his local teams of Solsgirth and Gilbert Plains. He later joined the Dauphin Redbirds and was a member of their Provincial Championship team in 1961. He began playing hockey in his home town of Solsgirth, and in 1945 was a member of the Foxwarren Junior B team that won the provincial championship. When he moved to Gilbert Plains, he played with the local team and then joined the Dauphin Kings of the famous "Big Six" league. It was here he helped lead the Kings to two Western Canada Intermediate Championships in 1952 and 1953. Even though Bill had many highlights during his sporting years, two dates were very special to him. The first one was February 11, 1955, when hockey fans in Dauphin and surrounding districts honoured him with a "Billy Murray Night" to mark his 250th goal as a Dauphin King, and June 10, 2000 when he was inducted into the Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame. Funeral service will be held on Thursday, September 27 at 2:00 p.m. in the Gilbert Plains St. Pauls United Church, Mrs. Ilene Down officiating, with interment in the Chatsworth Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations in Bills memory may be made to The Manitoba Prostate Cancer Support Group, #705 - 776 Corydon Ave., Winnipeg, MB R3M 0Y1, The Dauphin Regional Health Centre Palliative Care Unit, or to The Gilbert Plains Health Care Centre. Thank you to Dr. Michael Penrose, Dr. Allan Lysack, and the wonderful care given by all nurses and staff on the second floor at the Dauphin Regional Health Centre. The Sneath-Strilchuk Funeral Service, Dauphin, MB have care of the arrangements, tel. 1-204-638-4110.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Sep 26, 2001