Obituary of Murray Delmege

DELMEGE, Murray Arthur - surrounded by his family, passed peacefully after a two year long courageous battle against renal cancer during the early afternoon of Sunday, November 3rd, 2024 in his 86th year at Erie Shores Hospice, Leamington, Ontario. Murray, the youngest child of the late Joanna Grace (McCully) Delmege (1907-1990) and Ross Ingram Delmege (1904-1999) was born April 1st, 1939 in Chatham, Ontario. Murray spent his first years of life at his grandparents’ farm at Zion along with his older sister Elaine Louise Donaldson (1932-2011) and his double first cousin Robert McCully. After WWII, his youth was split between Ridgetown, Ontario and Rondeau Provincial Park.

He attended teacher’s college in London from 1959-1961, before moving to Essex County where the entirety of his professional career took place. He completed a Master of Education from the University of Detroit Mercy in the 70s. He taught grades 6, 7 and 8 History, Geography and Math as well as English to his homeroom class at Malden Central Public School from 1961 to 1963. In 1963 he was offered a position as Vice-Principal at Malden where he stayed in 1971. At the start of the 1971/72 school year, he was promoted to Principal at Colonel Bishop Public School in Lasalle, ON where he remained until 1974. From there he spent the next twelve years (1974-1986) at Queen Elizabeth Public School in Leamington, ON as Principal before his final move to Jack Miner Public School, Kingsville, ON as Principal until his retirement in June 1995.

Murray’s dedication to service extended well beyond the classroom. In the 1980s, he sacrificed many days of fishing on Rondeau Bay in order to help save the cottage community of Rondeau Provincial Park as a member of the Executive Team of the Rondeau Leaseholders Association. One of the greatest compliments paid to his family, in his final weeks has been his ability to be a quiet strategist, to never lose sight of the long-term goals and to always live a life of resilience no matter the storm around him. More than one generation of Rondeau Yacht Club kids discovered the joy of swimming from ‘the little white dock’.

After retirement, Murray was most often found at a Masonic Event. He first joined St. George’s Lodge in Kingsville in 2003. He later became involved with Scottish Rite in Windsor receiving his 18th degree in November 2004. He received his 32nd degree in Hamilton in 2005. He was humbled to be able to travel to Saskatoon to receive his 33rd degree in the fall of 2022. In 2023, despite his illness, he served as chair of the Masonic Learning Centre which assists children with reading. Murray was a champion of the underdog, the less fortunate and those whom society unfairly labeled as different. In addition, he actively promoted diversified pathways of success long before the Ministry of Education took it up as a cause.

In the early years of his teaching career Murray spent his summers working at Rondeau Provincial Park, alongside his father Ross. While there, Murray met his wife of 43 years, Patricia Anne (Pat). In celebration of Canada’s Centennial, the two were wed in Dunnville, on July 29th, 1967. Murray and Pat lived for 3 years in Harrow, and then moved to Kingsville where they raised their family of three daughters, three dogs, and numerous cats all of which he brought home.

Murray was lucky to be reunited with his high school sweetheart Margaret (Peggy) Rose Roberts, while in his 70s, after the death of his first wife Patricia (1944-2010). Murray and Peggy had a whirlwind romance and were married in Greater Sudbury on May 5th, 2012. The two enjoyed traveling to the west coast, Cuba, Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon and the several boat trips on the canal systems of Ontario. He was very proud of the fact that he only ever had to use his nitro spray after a summer hike up Whistler in his early 80s. Murray felt very blessed to be able to take one final trip to the East Coast in 2023 with Peggy.

Murray is survived by and dearly loved by his beloved wife of twelve years Peggy, and daughters Emily Louise (Brian) Visneskie, Elizabeth Anne (Dan) Melo and Margaret Grace (Nathan) French as well as his granddaughters Allison, Sarah and Georgia. He will be missed by stepson Stephen (Kelly) of B.C. and stepdaughter Jeyn of Kingsville and step-grandchildren, Dallas and Luke. He will also be missed by his nephews David (Karen), Dale (Marianne), his 6 great nieces and nephews, 14 great-great nieces and nephews and 1 great-great-great nephew. Public Visitation will be at the Church of the Epiphany 96 Main St. W, Kingsville from 10 to 11am on SATURDAY, NOV 9, 2024, with Masonic service and funeral services to follow conducted by the Rev. Paul Silcox with a private interment at Greenwood Cemetery, Ridgetown. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his name to the Erie Shores Health Foundation (Hospice), Leamington as the family is so very thankful for the excellent care and compassion shown to Murray in his last days at the hospice, to the Masonic Learning Centre, Windsor, or to St. George’s Lodge A.F. and A.M. #42, Kingsville.

McKinlay Funeral Home

76 Main Street East, Ridgetown

519-674-3141