It is with great sadness and heavy hearts that we announce the sudden passing of Jim Murray on December 8, 2023, at the Portage District General Hospital at the age of 67 years.
He will be lovingly remembered by his wife of 47 years Lois Murray (Blyth) and their children Kathy (Allan), grandchildren Jason, Susan, and Niles; Keith (Jannelle), grandchildren Rhett, Weston, and Trig; Melody (Lyle), grandchildren Chet, Calli, and Kain; Charlie (Jen); Clark (Melissa), grandchildren Emily, Jamie, and Adleigh. Jim is also survived by his brothers Harvey (June), Alan (Gayla), Eric (Louise), and Blaine, sisters Sandra Sharpe, Lynne (Larry) Parker, and sisters-in-law Wendy (Denis) and Doreen, as well as numerous nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews, and great great nieces and nephews, and his many friends. He was predeceased by his parents Charlie and Margaret Murray, brothers Keith, Warren, and Brian, his sister Audrey Trimble, in-laws Clark and Kate Blyth, brothers-in-law Hal Trimble and Roddy Sharpe, nephew Mark Murray, and great niece Charleigh Murray.
Jim was born in Portage la Prairie on July 18, 1956 and grew up on the family farm south of Edwin. He started school at Allandale and later attended Rossendale, and MacGregor Collegiate. Jim married his wife, Lois, on August 7, 1976. In their younger years they started their life together in Bagot, then Edwin, before buying a farm south of Gainsborough in 1979 where they spent 41 years. That was where they raised their family while milking cows, shipping cream and buying and selling pigs and cattle. Jim loved visiting the auction mart, especially when he was there to buy. Their last few years were spent at the farm north of St. Claude, where he stayed active until his last day, sorting cattle that morning. In his younger years he worked for CN, Portage Concrete, Mid City Concrete, Aymont Construction, Jean Dequier and started a feedlot cleaning business with his brother Eric, all while growing his own farm. Jim loved his animals, especially cattle and horses. Jim’s passions were family, cattle and hunting.
To some he was Jim, to his family Jimmy, and Pa to his grandchildren and many others. Jim had a big personality and knew people from all over, making friends quickly. He loved hunting with his brothers, friends, sons, nieces, nephews, and grandchildren. They hunted caribou as far north as the Northwest Territories, moose and sheep in the Yukon, and deer everywhere in between. The Duck Mountains held a special place in his heart, and he loved spending his time there at Singush Lake and Child’s Lake. He often invited people there to visit, claiming, “the more, the merrier.”
Jim will forever be remembered by those who loved him.
A celebration of Jim’s life will be held at the MNP Building on the Island on Friday, December 15, 2023 at 1:00 pm.
As expressions of sympathy, donations may be made in Jim’s memory to the STARS Foundation (Air Ambulance) online at https://stars.ca or mailed to STARS, 1441 Aviation Park NE, Box 570, Calgary, AB T2E 8M7.
A tree will be planted in memory and cared for by McKenzies Portage Funeral Chapel.