“I grew up in South Surrey. When I was 25, I got cancer: osteosarcoma. I had an overwhelming feeling that my demise was possible."
“I grew up in South Surrey. When I was 25, I got cancer: osteosarcoma. I had an overwhelming feeling that my demise was possible. My parents were distraught; I’m their only child. I’m fine now. If I’m on a beach and people see my shoulder scar, I joke and tell them I got attacked by a shark.
After a family friend died, I started volunteering at White Rock Hospice Society. I found helping families rewarding. I used to manage my family’s gravel pit. I went on to own a funeral home in Seattle and was a senior funeral home director in BC. Then I ran a business making cultured marble urns for sale to funeral homes. Skills from running those businesses help me coordinate morgue services in Fraser Health. All our hospital sites have a morgue. I chair the Regional Morgue Committee, we have stakeholders from all sites and disciplines involved with a morgue. We standardize processes and review any area related to death. In my position I liaise with the BC Coroners’ Service, and local Funeral Homes.
I live with my wife, on a hobby farm in South Surrey overlooking the Little Campbell River. I enjoy growing and harvesting produce from my greenhouse throughout the year. I love to entertain friends with farm to table cooking. I like golfing, fishing, and walking our dachshund, Dazy. My cancer and my work as a funeral director taught me you have to enjoy the journey. You need balance in life.”
-- Ian Murray, Regional Morgue Coordinator
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