Remembering our roots ~ Ivan Murray

By John Godsman Times Contributor

The Murray family name originated in Scotland in the late 1800s, but there’s no record of who the first person was to come to Canada.
Ivan’s father, John William Murray, was born in Winnipeg in 1911. His mother, Ann Shayler, was born at Merclin, Sask. in 1911. John and Ann were married in Calgary in 1934 and had three sons and three daughters. Ivan was born at the old General Hospital in Calgary on Jan. 9, 1954.
Ivan attended school at Parkway Elementary, followed by Van Horn Junior High, then graduated from Bowness High School in 1970. He worked at various jobs around Calgary until 1975, when he obtained employment with the Alberta government in their public works, supplies and services department until 1993. Ian also attended SAIT from 1986 to 1993 and took power engineering courses. He followed this with a three-year course on facility management at SAIT, before joining the Calgary Public Board of Education in 1993 after graduation; he worked there for the next 12 years and retired on June 26, 2009.
Finding Calgary was getting too big and busy, Ivan moved to the small town of Strathmore in the fall of 2000 (population 6,990) but continued to commute to his work in Calgary for the next nine years.
Ivan enjoys spending time with his seven nieces and one nephew, and now has four great-nieces and three great-nephews, plus one great-great-niece and one great-great-nephew.
At the Strathmore Municipal Library, Ivan has joined the stitching club where he assists as an instructor.
Changes in the past 19 years include the population growth of Strathmore from 6,990 to over 13,000. Also, a new high school, adjoined to the Civic Centre and swimming pool have been built. Many downtown businesses have moved to be closer to the Trans-Canada Highway, where large box stores have also opened. Recently a new elementary/junior high school, commemorating long-time resident George Freeman, has opened, adjoined to the SMP Sports Centre, on the east side of town.