Ian McMurchy Has Passed Away!

Brown Dog · #8 12-20-2008, 12:09 PM

Awful Awful News.

Didn't know Ian in person, but we've often exchanged emails and photos in the past; my daughters are of a similar age to his grand daughter. I felt perhaps a slightly stronger connection to him than one might normally with e-friends because, years ago, I lived for 2 years in a neighbouring Prairie Province and we had talked of meeting up if I ever managed to get back out to visit Canada. Even as an e-pal, Ian was enormously generous to me on several occasions. He just struck me as a super, honest and great fellow.

This news catches me just as I was thinking that we hadn't corresponded for some time and to send him a Christmas email. Very upsetting.

I can't put it any better than one of the earlier posts:

He clearly lived a great life - one worth celebrating.

WWB · #9 12-20-2008, 12:12 PM

I was allways taken by Ian's Genuiness as well as his mild manner. I will miss him and offer my condolences to his Family.

jmden · #10 12-20-2008, 12:25 PM

He will be greatly missed on this site let alone elsewhere! My sympathies to his family and friends during this trying time. They, like we, have all been blessed by Ian.

landcbeitner · #11 12-20-2008, 12:38 PM

Very Sad, he will be missed. Thoughts and prayers with his family.

britz · #12 12-20-2008, 12:46 PM

I have always enjoyed reading his articles, always informative and entertaining. My thoughts and prayers go to him and his family.

Sask Hunter · #13 12-20-2008, 12:59 PM

My wife and I met Ian about 5 yrs ago here in Regina. He spent endless amounts of time with my wife (as she was a new shooter and hunter) teaching her all he could. He requested for her and I numerous times to join him when he was shooting pictures of his long range shooting lessons...as he never had many women to photo while shooting for his books, however we always seened to have conflicting schedules...now we won't have the chance...

I just had a Tims coffee with him last month on one of his better days, he always had time for a friend. We spoke in great length about his hunts, his work and his passion with muzzle loaders...he spoke passionately about the Alaskan and Bear Alley, he spoke about the Buffalo and the smell of the herd and feeling in his stomach...his articles were written with the same passion...

Ian was the most soft spoken, accomplished man in his field, he will be sorely missed.

In early Sept. I bought a Prohunter and was having troubles. I gave Ian a call, within minutes we had it figured out and within days it was ready for my Moose hunt later in Sept. In Oct Ian called to see how the hunt went, how Joyce did with her shooting , how our daughter Madison was doing (as she took to shooting the ML's off the bench with him), how the rifle was doing, etc. That was Ian. What a man...!

I have a few stories...a few years ago we were practicing with our ML's (Omega and Traditions Pursuit Pro XLT) and group testing some bullets...we got to talking and he noticed we were shooting Barnes Spitfires, he said "you like em? I said, " yeah they open 100% of the time and work perfectly"...sigh, he agreed and said "I have about 500 Barnes Spitfires at the house, but I am testing the shock waves right now, I should probably get rid of the competition..." lol. "How about I call you later and you can have em?"...at 7:00 pm that night the phone rang and guess who it was? Yes, it was Ian, that night we spent another 2 hours talking about anything and everything...I did not know like others did but knew him well enough to call him a friend and I will miss him greatly...oh yes the Spitfires he gave me took 2 whitetail bucks (2007) and 2 Mule deer does (2008)...he always made sure he had the best he could afford...and ALWAYS shared his wealth of everything in his life...

We will miss you Ian, you are a great friend and even better person, we were better for knowing you...thank you for all you have done...

Lee and Joyce Hart
Regina SK

ICANHITHIMMAN · #14 12-20-2008, 01:00 PM

Well I did not know him sounds like a good man. I did read his articals and learned from them.

If you guys that did know him wanted to do something for his family why not build a rifle and auction it off and give his family the money. I have seen this done for a lot of diffrent reasons.

The parts could all be donated by site members and I am sure one of the smiths here will do the work. Im sure we all have some parts laying around.