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- [S4] Obituary.
SPURR, Vernon Morse – 72, Dartmouth, died February 2, 2002, in Dartmouth General Hospital. His battle with cancer was not courageous, he detested every moment he had to endure the disease that robbed him of years of his well-planned time of retirement and relaxation. He has been unhappily dragged from this world with many of his projects incomplete and his plans undeveloped.
Born in Paradise, Annapolis, November 8, 1929, he was a son of the late Alfred T. and Elsie M. (Whynot) Spurr. Mr. Spurr was retired from the Department of National Defence (DND), where at the time of his retirement, he was the manager of the Naval Architectural Design Office, Naval Engineering Unit Atlantic and had completed a 35 year career with DND in naval ship design, repair and modification.
Prior to his DND career he was employed with Halifax Shipyards Limited for a 10 year period where he was first with the Shipwright Department, next with the Mould Loft and finally as a hull design draftsman. While at DND, he was recognized for his dedication to the Canadian Navy by being selected for the Deputy Minister’s Merit Award in 1989, was presented with the Silver Jubilee Medal in 1978 and with a Certificate of Achievement in 1992 for his work in preparing the Canadian naval ships for their role in the Persian Gulf War.
A former member of the Royal Canadian Navy Reserve (HMCS Scotian), he attended both the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in London and the last of the great naval reviews held at Spithead in 1953. He had the honour of being an honorary Texan having served in HMCS Haida in 1949.
In religion, he was a Baptist and was a charter member of Stevens Road United Baptist Church in Dartmouth. In recent years, he was most unhappy with the degeneration of the present day Baptist service from the dignified and orderly service reminiscent of his youth, to something that to him was often approaching a carnival in nature, such is progress?
Mr. Spurr was also a charter member and life member of the Society of Certified Engineering Technicians and Technologist of Nova Scotia (SCETTNS), being the first certified in Nova Scotia at the technologist level. He was a graduate of the Canadian Institute of Management (CIM) course of studies in industrial management and the Canadian Institute of Science and Technology (CIST) in structural engineering and design. Interested in Nova Scotian history and genealogy, he was a fellow (FRNSHS), life member and long-time treasurer of the Royal Nova Scotia Historical Society and for four years, president of the Genealogical Association of Nova Scotia (GANS). He was the author of an extensive genealogy of the Nova Scotia Spurr and related families and a number of shorter genealogical papers.
Surviving are his wife, the former Germaine Martin; sons and their families, Michael (Kathleen Greene) and Shawn (Diane King), Dartmouth; as well as grandchildren, Colin, Zachary, Christopher, Caroline and James.
He was predeceased by his brother, Alfred T. Spurr (Wilmot); half-brothers and sisters, Guilford, Irvin, William, Lewis, Philip, Marie Daniels, Laura Blakeman, Marion Spurr, Grace Goucher, Marjorie Boudreau and Thelma Devaney. As the thirteenth child in this family, he became the instant uncle at birth to a large number of nieces and nephews and to his pleasure, some of them always called him uncle.
At his direction, cremation has taken place immediately following his death and there will be no visitation. At his request, a memorial service will not be held. Burial will be a private family event in Paradise at some future date. A reception is to be held for family and friends at the residence of Michael Spurr, 914 Waverley Rd., Saturday, February 9, from 2-5 p.m.
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1929 - 2002 (72 years)
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