Dr. Murray Gordon Morrison

Surrounded by the comforting presence of loving family members, Dr. Murray Gordon Morrison passed away peacefully, at home, on the morning of July 10, 2025.

A skilled surgeon, he was well-liked in the medical community. Murray was a good listener and had a special gift for connecting with people.  He was generous and kind and was always there to help and support others.

Born in High River, Alberta, on May 5, 1933, Murray was the youngest child born to Jean Thomson Morrison and John Lineham Morrison. He had four older siblings, David, Helen, Don, and Glen. The Morrison children grew up on Roseburn Ranches in the Foothills of Southwestern Alberta, a mixed farming, grain, horse, and cattle operation. With his parents, siblings, grandparents, friendly neighbours, and close community nearby, Murray enjoyed a happy childhood.

Murray rode his horse down backroads to the local one-room schoolhouse (Skye Glen) for elementary school and later went to High School in High River. The University of Alberta in Edmonton followed in 1952, where he switched from agriculture to medicine, receiving his MD degree in April 1959.

While attending the University of Alberta, he met and married Elizabeth (Betty) Madill from Foremost, Alberta, and in 1958, they welcomed their first child, Susan.  After graduating, he moved to Calgary, Alberta, and did his internship at the Calgary General Hospital (1959-60).

Murray received a fellowship to graduate school at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, USA (1960-64). At the Mayo Clinic, he was honoured for outstanding performance in Obstetrics and Gynecology and received the L.M. Randall Travel Award for excellence in the field.

During their time in Minnesota, two more children were born, Mark in 1961, and Patricia (Trish) in 1963.

In January 1965, Murray moved his young family back to Canada and started private practice in Victoria, BC, in a medical office on Cook Street along with Dr. Basset and Dr. Prévost.

Two years later, in 1967, Betty and Murray had a fourth child, a daughter, Robin Lynne.

Betty and Murray parted ways in 1973.  In time, Murray met and fell in love with the love of his life, an O.R. Nurse, Lynne Merith Good, and they were married in 1978. Lynne had five children from her previous marriage: Paula (1959), Pamela (Lulu) (1961), Penni (1963), Paige (1964), and John David (1967).  The Goods and the Morrisons joined forces, blending a family of nine children and became a real-life version of the “Brady bunch” (or “The Nine” as they were commonly referred to), happily co-existing in their home in Cadboro Bay. A home full of love and, despite its large numbers, always had room for one or two more visitors.

Murray practiced Obstetrics and Gynecology in Victoria from 1965 to 1988, when he and Lynne moved to Ojai, California, where they both worked in a private health care clinic along with Dr. Bob Skankey, from 1988 to 1995.

Sadly, Murray was predeceased by his wife Lynne in 1995 after which he left private practice and did locums at: Saanich Peninsula Hospital, Saanichton, BC, the American Military Hospitals, Oak Harbour Washington, La Moore Naval Hospital, Whakatane Hospital, New Zealand, Bundaberg Hospital, Australia, Inuvialuktun, NWT, Canada, Antigua, Guatemala and Howard Hospital in Zimbabwe, Africa.

In 2006, he married Pat Manning, and they had a residence in Victoria and a cabin on Vancouver Island at Horne Lake. They enjoyed family time at the lake and travelled to the UK, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, the Cook Islands, Mexico, and various cities across Canada.

Pat and Murray divorced in 2018. Murray’s final home was in Rose Bank Gardens in Saanich, and he enjoyed the last 10 years of his life in this retirement community, visiting with old friends and family and travelling locally between BC and Alberta with some trips to the US and Eastern Canada.

In addition to his career, Murray had many talents and pursuits. He had a “green thumb” and enjoyed time in his garden, growing flowers and tomatoes.  He was physically active and loved to snow ski, windsurf, work out at the gym, and was water skiing well into his late 70s.

Murray leaves behind his beloved children and their partners, Susan, Paula (Scott), Lulu (Willie), Mark (Reva), Trish (Scott), Penni, Paige (Ken), Lynne, and John (Kelly).  As well as his grandchildren and great grandchildren: Adam (Andrea, Archie, Addie), Justin (Kelsey, Ryder), Alicia (Tyler, Ethan, Mia), Matthew, Malcolm, Jason (Shelby, Brady), Olivia, Brent, Blake, Jocelynne, Samantha, Nick (Marina), Will, Ollie, Sophia and Ben.

He is survived by his sister Helen, many nieces and nephews, and an extended circle of dear friends, too many to name, but each held a special place in his heart.

He loved deeply and was deeply loved. Son, brother, father, grandfather, uncle, friend, Doctor, this well-loved man will be very missed.

A private family service will be held, and a celebration of life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Hospice or planting a tomato seed in Murray’s honour.

Condolences may be offered to the family below.

McCall Gardens
www.mccallgardens.com

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