Murray Henry Miller died peacefully in his ninety-first year after a short but determined battle with cancer on May 29, 2022 at Hospice Wellington in Guelph, Ontario. Survived by his loving wife Joan (Colling), he will be deeply missed by his children Deb (Jim), Dave (Debbie) and Sandy (Peter). He was a devoted and much-loved Grandpa to Emily (Daniel), Liam, Jacob and Kieran, and Great-grandpa to Evelyn and Alice Agar. Murray was the younger brother of Don (Joyce) of Markham, and predeceased by sister Jean (Joe Deavitt). He will be missed by many nieces and nephews, cousins, friends and colleagues.
Murray was born in 1931, the youngest son of Henry and Flossie (MacArthur). He grew up on the family farm near Markham Ontario, where his brother Don still resides and which Murray valued and visited for his entire life. Family and community were very important to Murray. Extended family gatherings at holidays and summer reunions with his MacArthur cousins were regular events, and Murray put considerable effort into researching and sharing family history. For decades he enjoyed time at Black Lake in Haliburton, first at his sister Jean’s cottage, and in 1992 he and Joan bought their own cottage to share with children and grand-children. Murray also organised annual cross-country ski weekends at Camp Hollyburn in Muskoka for many years, and all who attended have rich memories of those times. Murray was a life-long fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs and later the Blue Jays, rarely missing a game, never wavering in his loyalty.
Murray’s post-secondary education started with a BSc (Agr) from the University of Toronto in 1953 while at the Ontario Agricultural College (OAC) in Guelph. He went on to earn his MSc (1955) and PhD (1957) from Purdue University in Indiana. Upon graduation, Murray joined the Department of Soil Science (later Land Resource Science) at the OAC, which later was a founding partner of the University of Guelph, and was Chair of that Department from 1966-1971. Two sabbaticals, one in the UK and one in Australia, gave Murray the opportunity to travel around the world with his family. He and Joan continued to enjoy travel and discovery well into his retirement.
Murray had an internationally recognized research career in soil plant relations. He was acknowledged for his contributions by being named Fellow of each of the Agricultural Institute of Canada, the Canadian Society of Soil Science, and the American Society of Soil Science. At his retirement Murray was proud to be declared Professor Emeritus. His relationship to the University of Guelph, and in particular the OAC Class of ‘53, was extremely important to Murray. He was an esteemed colleague, and a respected mentor and advisor to many students over his long career.
Murray will be remembered for his keen intelligence, his scientific curiosity, and his deep sense of social responsibility. He was loving, funny, kind and respectful, and never hesitated to help family, friends or neighbours. We are blessed to have had him with us as long as we did, and grateful that he remained very much himself to the end.
Murray has requested that there not be a memorial service. A family gathering will be held when his ashes are interred at Peaches United Church Cemetery in Markham. Donations to the OAC ‘53 fund at the OAC alumni foundation or to the charity of your choice will be appreciated.
Arrangements have been made by the WALL-CUSTANCE FUNERAL HOME & CHAPEL 519-822-0051 / www.wallcustance.com.
A tree will be planted in memory of Murray H. Miller in the Wall-Custance Memorial Forest.