ROED, Murray Anderson
October 17, 1937 — August 6, 2022
It is with great sadness that we announce the peaceful passing of Murray Anderson Roed, 84, on August 6, 2022, in Kelowna, BC.
He will be profoundly missed and remembered by his wife Debra; children Randy Roed (Jolie Bergen), Nicole(Erik) von Krogh, Eric (Bailey)Vander Wal, Marlee (Jon) Albrecht, & Baylee Roed; son-in-law Frank Roulstone; grandchildren Devon Parks, Brianna (Matthew) Berthlot, Taylor Bennett (Zygimantas Tenys), Kelsey Bennett (Sean Goodson), Travis & Ray-Lee Bergen, Hayley & Hunter Roulstone, Nora Vander Wal, Birk & Wells von Krogh, Jude Albrecht, Raylene Dysart (honorary); great-granddaughter Alice Bertholet; great-grandson Ethan Bennett; sister Audrey (George) Turcotte; sister-in-law Delores Roed; mother-in-law Rita Kilmartin; sisters and brothers-in-law Brenda (Robert) Fraser, Kathy Kilmartin (J.D. Wilcox), Steven Kilmartin (Lorraine Mallon), Kerry Kilmartin, Glenn Kilmartin, Jeff (Sonya) Kilmartin; Uncle Pete Kilmartin; and many nieces and nephews. In addition to this, Murray had a large extended family all over the world, including his beloved “Cayman family,” for whom he cared deeply.
He was sadly predeceased by his parents John and Helen (née Anderson) Roed, his daughter Alita Roulstone, his brother Lorne Roed, father-in-law Robert Kilmartin and his sister-in-law Sharon Cardinal.
Murray was born to Helen and John Roed on October 17, 1937, in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. He enjoyed his childhood and growing up in the small town of Tisdale, Saskatchewan, and would often recollect fond memories of visiting his grandparent’s homestead in Torch River. Despite admittedly being much more interested in sports than academia (baseball, basketball, hockey, and tennis, to name a few), Murray attended the University of Saskatchewan after graduation where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Masters in Palaeontology. He then went on to complete his PhD in Geology from the University of Alberta.
Murray maintained a lifelong passion for and commitment to geologic discovery. His numerous and important professional contributions include over 30 published articles and maps spanning 5 decades; input on terrain mapping regulations in Canada and 1960s mapping of giant ice sheets made him a leading expert in Pleistocene Geology in Western Canada. He taught in several field schools and sedimentology courses at OUC/UBC Okanagan, but his legacy is in writing. Murray authored numerous books on the geology of Edmonton, the Okanagan, and the Cayman Islands. Thousands of copies have been sold and have raised approximately $100,000 for university scholarships. Deservedly, he was the recipient of the prestigious Geologic Association of Canada, E.R. Ward Neale Medal, in 2013 for his contributions to public awareness and education in the geologic sciences. He was thankful for the lifelong friendships with his many colleagues and partners, such as Bill Kaufmann and John Greenough, who he engaged with while immersing himself in the geologic and scientific community.
Murray was truly a multifaceted individual with a zest for life. In 2001, Murray established his own art gallery from his home called Geoscapes where he showcased the combination of his extensive knowledge of geology and his artistic abilities through beautiful, acrylic renditions of landforms, untouched by civilization. As the years went on, Murray thoroughly enjoyed golf and continued to play tennis around 3 times a week until he was 83. He adored his time at Wally Lightbody’s courts and the community of people he played with. He loved to travel, explore, and spend time with his family. He will be dearly missed.
Thank you to Murray’s many family and friends for your kindness at this time. In lieu of flowers, we ask that you please make a donation to the Alzheimer’s Society.
An Open-house Gathering will be held in honour of Murray at MARLEE AND JON ALBRECHT’S HOME ON THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2022, FROM 1:00 – 4:00 PM.
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Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of ROED Murray Anderson October 17 1937 — August 6 2022..
Death notice for the town of: Kelowna, Province: Colombie britanique