Condolences to Kate

Douglas Fraser Sr. died suddenly in June 1915, a scant few years after returning to Pilot Mound after homesteading in Saskatchewan. He had made many friends along the way, one of whom was Wm. Cleghorn. Mr. Cleghorn was saddened to hear of Douglas's passing, and sent this letter to Catherine, dated October 10, 1915.

Greased lightning

Dad with future wife Hazel Stevens, his best skating trophy

Dad has long been a good skater. In fact, a February 4, 1929 article in the The Winnipeg Free Press, shown below, lists Murray Fraser as the winner of the Boys 10 and under race. That was just the start.

Proud mom Annie Fraser pasted this into her scrapbook.

Murray Fraser, looking like a champion on a makeshift podium.

... and with his big sister Jessie, ready to race

Decades later, Dad proved he was no flash in the pan.

In 1993, his daughter Virginia bought him a membership in the St. James Speedskating Club, and Dad joined Virginia and her sons, Edmund and Thomas, at the rink.

The coach couldn’t believe her stopwatch. “Do you realize you’re breaking records?”she exclaimed, as Dad cruised easily around the Sargent Park oval. She convinced him to make it official, and at age 74, Dad found himself in a spandex race suit, racing the clock. In short order he shattered every national record for men in the 70-plus category, at various distances on both indoor and outdoor tracks.

All but one record, that is. Dad deliberately left one record unchallenged. He thought the previous record holder should remain a champion, too.

Murray Fraser is a blur as he shatters another Canadian record

Over 60 years after their first mention of speedy Murray Fraser, The Winnipeg Free Press took notice of him again in their article entitled, "Masters champ sets torrid pace," below.


Monday, January 25, 1993

When Dad finally hung up his speedskates it was not because he had nothing left to prove. It was because the early morning races did not appeal to this night owl after dancing until the wee hours the night before!

A most efficient teacher

Murray could never fathom why his father, Pete Fraser, who had attended Normal School (teachers' college) in Ontario, chose instead to homestead and farm out on the prairies.

Pete's two sisters Jessie (1878-1955) and Annie Belle (1892-1974), however, certainly dedicated themselves to teaching. Annie Belle had a very long career, and taught in several small towns. One of her better students (in La Riviere, we believe) was Hazel Stevens.

Annie Belle Fraser with her young students, in Gunton or Gilbert Plains, Manitoba

Below: a letter of reference from the principal of the La Riviere school, re-copied in Aunt Annie's hand.

Recommendation from ex-principal Mrs. Marjory Smith, BA, dated May 5, 1936

 Below: a selection of portraits of the independent and very capable young teacher.


To whom it may concern

Cpl. Murray Fraser, looking uncharacteristically serious.

Cpl. Murray Fraser's active service in the RCAF dates from April 25, 1941 to February 7, 1946. The RCAF was a unique training ground, and Dad was an excellent student. His superiors wrote glowing letters of recommendation attesting to his exceptional skills, good conduct, keen aptitude and initiative.



Cpl. Fraser received Machine Shop training in Ontario before he went overseas in 1945.

Recommendations like these no doubt helped Dad land his job at MacDonald Bros. Aircraft.

Honourably released, February 7, 1946.



A fair trade

In 1943, when Dad was at Trenton Air Force Base, he bought a Norton motorcycle from a buddy, Orville Neal. It was a mean machine. He once said to me, "I sold it before it killed me." The $60 Orville earned from its sale went towards a lovely diamond engagement ring for his sweetheart, Cay. Now that was a good investment!

Born to be wild!  Cpl. Murray Fraser on his newly acquired Norton motorcycle.

Dad bought the Norton for a whopping $60, July 30, 1943.

Dad and Orville Neal stayed in touch over the years. Below is a Christmas card from Orville and his family.

A post-war baby boom: Orv, Cay, Bobby and David Neal.

Orville's wife Cay sent Dad a nice note this year after receiving Dad's change of address postcard when he moved into Sturgeon Creek II. Sadly, Orville passed away a few years ago.

Roots of the Fraser family tree

As I add to this family archive, it's probably time to post a cast of characters. To keep these Frasers sorted, here's a brief chart that will help identify who's who in earlier generations.

The top row of siblings (Sandy, Jessie, Will and John) can be considered the "Down East" Frasers, while the bottom row (Pete, Doug, Gordon and Annie) were the "Out West" Frasers.

A tip of the hat

While we've heard Murray Fraser speak of some of the fine fellows down at "the plant" (Bristol Aerospace), we can also get a glimpse of his co-workers' high regard for him through a few notes Dad saved. Although he preferred to manage engineering projects rather than people, he was a respected manager and all-round good guy. We're not surprised.

The President of Bristol Aerospace, Murray Auld, sent the encouraging memo below. Edo refers to the Edo Aircraft Corporation of College Point, New York, founded by Earl Dodge Osborn. Edo pioneered the design and manufacture of metal seaplane floats. (See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_8ccwoVZTc for a 1942 Edo video.)

MacDonald Bros. Aircraft (MBA) Limited started in 1914 as MacDonald Brothers Sheet Metal and Roofing, which led to work overhauling and repairing aircraft. The company changed its name in 1930 when they started to build aircraft floats under licence from Edo. In WWII virtually all the floats used by the US Navy and Air Force were built by Edo. After the war, Edo diversified, and was noted for the manufacture of underwater sonar detection equipment. The partnership between MBA and Edo was an important one, lasting 55 years.

Murray Auld

And in 1973, Mr. Auld penned these kind words in honour of Dad's 25 years with the company:

The most sincere praise is unsolicited and unexpected. Below: some kind words from two parting employees, "Eugene" and "Norm." They obviously appreciated and respected Dad tremendously.

Eugene Schench bid Murray a fond farewell in his 1954 Christmas card.

Above: Likewise, "Norm" hoped to be as cool as Murray some day.