Bruce MURRAY Obituary

Johanna.......Shona...........Charlotte, Susan, Duncan........to the 1st XI & the whole family.........Full respect to Bruce, your father/husband/grandfather and more....... I still tell people the banana story..........He was a really good man - as a real man should be......a man of faith and conviction and real kindness - a man who was not afraid to do what was right ......my mother Lois adored him (as you know).........

Shona, you were looking - and were - absolutely radiant the other day when I saw you - and now, just a few weeks later, Bruce has left us.....I'm sorry that I or any of my family were unable to be there - my love to you all........

Dan Poynton xox

Sincere condolences to Shona and family at this sad time. Bruce was a fantastic principal and I'm sure he'll be missed by many!

What a wonderful man. I remember so vividly the classmate at HVHS with whom I played rugby and cricket and shared a compelling interest in geography and history. Even as an adolescent Bruce´s presence was a force to be reckoned with. His empathy, sense of fairness, intelligence and wonderful sense of humour impressed us all. His equanimity when still at school he faced up to the MCC speed attack on a bounce favourable pitch at the Basin Reserve is something I have never forgotten. What a marvellous educator he became. What wonderful person he was. I will remember him with deep respect and affection until the day I die. Shona, please accept my deep and sincere condolences

Bruce was Chair of the PPTA Principals' Association at a time when the Government was actively supporting its own Federation of Secondary Principals. As Chair Bruce gave a remarkable speech to all the Principals who had gathered on Servant Leadership. The contrast with the kind of leadership practiced in some schools was marked. It was a statement of his own values and the source of them.

My condolences to the family. Sorry to hear of BAGs' sudden passing. My first contact with him was in 1958 when the PNBHS cricket team travelled to play HVHS in the Hutt. He was a great player, but also stood out as a lovely person, with a great sense of humour and a generosity of spirit. Over the years we have maintained periodic contact and reminisced together about those days and the times since. He was always a delight to connect with. He will be missed by so many, and like so many others, I feel privileged to have known him and been a friend.

Dear Shona, May your hearts soon be filled with wonderful memories of joyful times together as you celebrate a life well lived. Thinking and praying for you today as you farewell Bruce

Bruce i was lucky enough to have you as DP at Naenae college in my first year teaching.
Later you did 2 stints as acting principal at St Catherines.
It was lovely to catch up and share brag stories about your girls and my pride in Nick.
A good innings you had in life and education and of course cricket.
Gill Willis

Dear Shona,
I'm so sorry to hear of your loss of Bruce, I say loss, but we both know that one day you will meet again. Until then though I hope you can enjoy the many memories you made together, not to mention the wonderful, growing, successful and loving wider family you have around you.
My interactions with Bruce had a deep and lasting effect on my life, his way of caring, through listening and thoughtfully responding in a measured and loving way was of great help to me during a time of life when I was not too sure what to think of many subjects.
I will treasure the conversations we had in his office before each school assembly, during my final year of high school. There were many opportunities during those days for me to ask questions about life and faith that I was wrestling with. Looking back I can see how the calm and gentle way in which Bruce would converse with me really did help me question my own attitudes towards others.
The way in which he was able to live out his faith in a way that was winsome and attractive still sticks with me to this day.
I was drawn to him through his love of cricket too. It was wonderful to have him as a cricket coach briefly when I was a very young addition to the 1st XI Tawa College Team, I felt very much out of my depth and really appreciated the way he looked after me amongst all the older guys.
Whilst our lives have gone in different directions since leaving High School I have enjoyed hearing updates of how Bruce has been going from a common friend, Roger Moses, at my local church. I am encouraged to hear how he continued on in his faith, still looking to serve as he had always done.
I will pray for you as you grieve the loss of such a loving husband, father, grandfather, leader, teacher, and faithful Christian. He has run the race, he will receive the prize.
Lots of Love, in Christ.
Stuart Ashdown

2 Timothy 4:7 to 8 (NIV) " I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous Judge, will award unto me on that day "

Hello Shona, Please accept our condolences with the death of Bruce. We have good memories of both Bruce and yourself when living in Tawa from the mid-1960s and to the mid-1970s . We were all a lot younger then. With love, Glynn and Julie Christie.

To Jo, Robbie,Shona and family. Not only have you lost a muched loved husband, father, father inlaw and grandfather but Bruce was an amazing educator. We were zoned for Hutt Valley high school and my eldest had been at St Bernard's. Due to the way Bruce lead the way for his staff, he developed a school where the staff worked incredibly well for the pupils. Although my father in law wanted to send my son to the new HIBs college I decided that Naenae College with Bruce at the helm was the best school in the Hutt Valley at the time. My thoughts are with you all at this very sad time.

Shona in the early 70s I was starting Teachers College and came to Tawa Baptist where Bruce was my Bible class teacher. He was by your side and supporting you and the family as we went through those wonderful "Saultalk" years. I always thought of him as a wise, dependable stalwart of faith and humor. God bless you and all your family in the days ahead.

Shona and family,
Sincere condolences to you all on the loss of Bruce.
I have the utmost respect for Bruce and have followed his achievements over the years in his personal,
sporting and professional life.
His strong Christian values were to be admired.
I first met Bruce on the Durham Crescent Cricket wicket in the late forties and we initially kept in touch through our school years as we both went to Epuni School, Hutt Intermediate and Hutt Valley High School where we spent the first three years of High School in the same class.
Over the years we have kept in touch through the telephone and the odd get together with class mates from our fifth form year at High School- and strangely enough the Durham Crescent cricket wicket ( and environs!) featured predominantly .
Goodbye Bruce- you will be greatly missed by your family, friends, fellow school mates and many people you have touched with your unique talents during your very well spent life.

Shona and your family
Heartfelt condolences on your loss of Bruce. A great human.
BAG will be greatly missed by all who knew and respected him in sport, education and the local community. He gave and achieved so much.
I knew him as a close class friend and rugby team mate at Hutt Valley High School. He was a born leader and commanded respect through his actions and beliefs in life´s values. He cared for people and made people feel good about themselves. He had a great sense of humour. I can hear that distinctive laugh. The fond memories of Bruce will live forever

Sincere condolences to you all on the death of Bruce. He was an outstanding person and a great role model. Bruce willingly accepted the position of Acting Principal of St Mary's College to allow me to go on a sabbatical. He rapidly gained the respect and admiration of the entire community of St Mary's. I am forever grateful to him for enabling me to take time out, knowing that his style of leadership would ensure that the Board, staff and students were in safe care. Deo gratias Bruce.
Mary Cook, former Principal of St Mary's College.

Shona & the extended family,
I met Bruce for the first time at Canterbury Uni 1963 when we were in the "Biogeography Masters group" on a fieldtrip to the "Coast". Being a Christian brother we clicked, but Bruce got almost everyone involved with "balls" every free time : cricket, football, basketball. He kept the Biblical absolutes and "acted" his faith. This led to BAG, Pollard (later, my colleague) and others requesting to not play high level cricket on Sundays. I've watched him from afar, admiring his "historical" writings about his local area, and being supportive in his management of staff and principals beyond his dear Wellington.
May you all carry his wise guidance and uphold his humanitarian outlook. A great totara has fallen, but his impacts on people will continue on.
Russell Vaughan
(Canterbury Uni. 19660-64)

Duncan, Ness and family, so sorry to read of your dad's passing. Very well respected in education and sport. My thoughts are with you.
Karen Cheer, ex Cannons Creek scool

Dear Shona and family

My condolences to all of you. Bruce was a wonderful man who gave me so much support over the years, he was a fantastic colleague, mentor and wise sage.

My thoughts are with you all. Unfortunately I am currently overseas so I will watch the ceremony online

Best wishes

Grant Jones ( Principal Newlands College)

Shona and Family I was sorry to hear of your loss. I was a teacher aid at Tawa College for 15 years and Bruce was a wonderful Headmaster and live his life by the school moto. He will leave wonderful memories for lots of people. He lived his life with the lord by his side and will now be with him in heaven where there is now pain and sorrow. Lots of Love to you and your family Robin Williams.

To whom much is given, much will be required. Luke (12:48) Bruce had this quote on the front of his classroom, C8. He certainly lived up to this through his long, varied and fulfilling life. All five of our family were at Tawa College when Bruce was principal and we (Jo and Steve) worked for him throughout this tenure and in the 1970s so we have many recollections of this fine all rounder of life. In writing our tribute, we touch on a few very characteristic recollections.

In the 1990s Bruce gave sustained support to an old cricket teammate who was in serious trouble. He stood by him greatly helping rebuild his life. Bruce was committed to the importance of social studies subjects, particularly geography as a younger teacher and later to history, the importance of charting and interrogating the past, valuing what had come before without idolising it and selecting from and building on it. He was a prolific local historian in later life. Bruce was trusting, supportive of and loyal to his teachers but not at the expense of justice to pupils. He was clearly the leader but delegated effectively. When he returned to Tawa College in Term Two of 1989 as principal, he had to guide us through the start of Tomorrow's Schools and through the neo-liberal revolution then in full swing which neither he nor a good proportion of the staff welcomed. A skillful manager, he was a diplomat, and had a wide network of valuable connections Bruce had mana in the wider education sector. His vision of the country as having a `world class´ education system, so often we were reminded of this, became ingrained. B.A.G´s talents enabled our school to prosper throughout the fairly socially mean decade of the 1990s. Of all the many things Bruce was distinguished, for us the most significant was the example of family. The Murray clan were and are a loving, supportive, lively, creative, diverse and cohesive family. Bruce and Shona were a wonderful couple. Frank Duncan when he was repairing books, their lovely four children, Johanna. Susannah, Charlotte and Duncan, and later their grandchildren all demonstrated a fine model for us as our family developed through to today.

Jo and Steve Avery

Hi Shona, I don´t know if you will remember me, but Bruce and I both taught at Tawa College from 1966 until I left in 1971 to move in different directions in education administration. We came in contact later when he was a leader in Principals´ Associations. He was the consummate educational professional and educational leader. He has obviously lead an inspiring and full life and will be remembered for his many contributions in numerous fields

In the late 1950s, Bruce and I were prefects at HVHS and both played in the very good HVHS 1st XV at rugby. I recall him playing at fullback and having the skills to make long, ranging line kicks. He was fun to be with, an excellent team man, had a great sense of humour, and didn't like losing. Go in peace Bruce.

I first met Bruce at Epuni School Lower Hutt when his sister Jocelyn was my teacher in Standard 1 and Bruce was a couple of classes ahead. Jocelyn was also my Sunday School teacher at the Epuni Baptist Church. I next met up with Bruce at Hutt Valley High School. A few years later my 14 year old son was a pupil at Naenae College, Lower Hutt and Bruce was the Head Master. Bruce influenced many children over the years through his teaching and cricket and led by example. RIP Bruce - a life well led.

i echo the comment from Catherine Fyfe. While at St Catherine's College he walked the talk, treating the whole college whanau with respect and love and amazing humour. A real Christian man in all ways and so proud of the achievements of his family and young people in his care. Thank you, Bruce.

So very sorry to hear of his death . We used to enjoy some exciting conversations with him when he visited us at Drummond´s Tawa Pharmacy ; since retiring I have missed his wit and humour that used to brighten our day , a lovely man . Our best wishes to all his family, Lesley and Chris Reading

To Shona & family-Helen & I were both very saddened to hear of the passing of Bruce.
I first met Bruce when my oldest brother Peter married Helen who is Shona´s sister and I remember meeting Bruce when I was very young.
I can genuinely say that the immediate effect that Bruce had on me was immense and the respect that I have had for Bruce from that day is vast.
The world has lost a wonderful,beautiful and passionate man that will never be replaced.
Our thoughts are with Shona and family at this time.
With Love from Simon Butcher & Helen Boyer.

To Shona and family. We were honoured to have had Bruce lead our College as Acting Principal. His wisdom and commitment to education was profound. Thank you for sharing him with us. Catherine Fyfe (former Chair of St Catherine's College Wellington Board of Proprietors).