Obituaries

CHRISTOPHER MURRAY BURT

Elizabeth Burt and her family mourn the passing of Christopher Murray Burt, known to everyone as Murray. He passed away peacefully at the Seven Oaks Hospital on 11 May 2024. In his 90 years, Murray was a prolific writer, an old school journalist, and active with the Commonwealth Journalists’ Association, advocating for the rights of journalists around the world to objectively report news. To his family, he was a beloved husband, father and grandfather who enjoyed inciting discussion on any topic, from comparative governments to ethics in journalism. To many, he was a role model, a loyal friend and an affable advisor.

Murray was born 24 November 1933, in Dunedin, New Zealand, to Melville Ross Burt and Mercia Burt (nee Arnett). He left New Zealand to pursue his dream of becoming a journalist, working first in London, UK, before moving to The Moose Jaw Times-Herald. It was there he met his wife of 64 years. He raised his family in Ontario where he worked at the St Catharines Standard, and then in Toronto at The Globe and Mail before finally settling in Winnipeg where he enjoyed many years as the Managing Editor of the Winnipeg Free Press. He retired to Kenora but never gave up writing, devoting much time to another passion: The Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders, for whom he wrote ‘The Ladies From Hell.’

Murray is survived by his beloved wife, Elizabeth (nee Evaschesen), children Katherine and David, and their spouses, Douglas Grimshaw, and Lisa Curtin, and grandchildren Samuel (partner Robbin), Benjamin (wife Melissa), Charles (partner Erin), Kes and Anika.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Alzheimer’s Society.

A funeral service for Christopher Murray Burt will be held on Saturday 15 June at 1pm at St Aidan’s Anglican Church at 274 Campbell St in Winnipeg.