Obituary of John Murray Scott

At Seaforth Community Hospital, on Tuesday, April 25, 2017, Mr. Murray Scott formerly of East Wawanosh Twp., age 75 years. Beloved husband of the former Wilma Dale. Loving father of Meribeth & Tim Vlemmix of Seaforth, Melanie Pletch & Marvin Cook of Belgrave and Jeffrey Scott & Rebecca Gain of Burlington. Cherished grandfather of Scott, Meagan, Ben, Amelia, Blake, Isabella and Sidney. Dear brother of Alan & Margaret Scott of Stratford. Murray will be lovingly remembered by Wilma's family, several nieces and nephews and many friends. Predeceased by his parents Walter & Alice (Shackleton) Scott, son-in-law David Pletch.

Visitation at McBurney Funeral Home, Wingham on Thursday, from 2:00-4:00 & 7:00-9:00 pm. Funeral service will be held at the funeral home chapel on Friday at 1:00 pm.  Reverend Brian Hymers officiating. Interment will take place in Brandon Cemetery, Belgrave.

Memorial donations to Knox United Church, Belgrave or Belgrave Community Centre would be appreciated as expressions of sympathy.

John Murray Scott was born in Wingham on March 7, 1942 to Walter & Alice Scott,  a younger brother for Alan. They resided on Lot 36 con 7 East Wawanosh. He attended SS#13 East Wawanosh school which was situated on the front corner of their farm. Murray attended F.E. Madill Secondary School, played football for the Mustangs and excelled in 4-H work. Free time was spent working with his Dad on roaming the fields and bush. After high school Murray worked full time on the farm and became a Beef Calf Club Leader, which he continued for over 20 years.  He also sang in the Knox United Church choir, and at times served in the capacity of steward and elder. In October 1963, Murray married Wilma Dale, and they lived across from his home farm. That fall they purchased the adjoining farm to Walter's and began renovating the abandoned home. It would be 11 years before they moved to their farm, where they lived for 38 years. During that time they farmed beef cows and calves, fattening cattle and sheep and  cash crops. Murray did custom combining and swathing and was very handy at repairing machinery. For a number of years Murray & Wilma were part of Scottslea Farms Ltd., a company formed with Murray's cousins, Ian, Ralph, and Lorne Scott. The company had a cow/calf and fattening operation. In 2008, they retired from the company and the land was rented for hay and crops. In 2005, they began a wetland demonstration project in conjunction with MVCA and many other partners to showcase methods of removing nitrates and silt from runoff before entering the stream. Excess water was stored on the farm while preserving the best workable acres. Stream rehabilitation, windbreak and reforestation were part of the plan. Murray built a people mover to tour interested visitors. The final phase of the project was a small nut orchard planted in fall of 2016. In 2013, they were presented with the "Ministers Award for Environmental Excellence" for the project. The 50 acre woodlot at the back of the farm was Murray's preferred location to work, or meditate and observe nature, making mental note of special trees and measuring their growth. Those 50 acres were quite possibly the most productive acres on the farm. It was FSC Certified in 2011. In 2011, Murray & Wilma moved across the road to the 21 acre property that originally came in the farm purchase. They added to the log cabin and "Peace & Quiet" became their home until the fall of 2016 when they moved to their new home in Seaforth and sold "Peace & Quiet." Murray served as an East Wawanosh Township Councillor for 6 years and as Deputy Reeve of North Huron for 10 years, retiring in 2010. He had in the past been a director of Howick Mutual Insurance. While living at "Peace & Quiet", Murray returned to the farm (now owned by daughter Melanie Pletch) most days to work in the shop, repair, to "tinker" and to invent. Until the last 2 years, he was able to enjoy working on the Wetland Project and other tractor work around the farm. Touring the bush in the "gator" was his favourite way of spending an afternoon. He always retained a keen interest  in municipal affairs,  and accounts of council meetings were a first read in the local paper. Murray's last visit to the farm, Wetland Project and "Peace & Quiet" took place on a sunny spring day, just one week before his death on April 25th, 2017