Rick MURRELL
Family:
Blended, married Julia in 1992, so 6 children, 3 each side, and 7 grandchildren; one black 7-year-old bouvier, Chloe, and one champagne-coloured ragdoll, Magnificat. Chloe nominated in 2002 as “rescue bouvier of the year” as she alerted Julia to my faint calls for help after I dropped 35 feet off our cliff early one September morn, 2001.
Present Activities:
Tenor, Vancouver Orpheus Male Voice Choir; Tenor and treasurer, Salt Spring Singers; Director, Our Lady of Grace Parish Church. Like to tinkle at the piano. Help Julia as a driver as she travels frequently in her business as a rehabilitation management nurse.
Work Before Retirement:
Teacher, 39 years; John Oliver Secondary School, Vancouver, for 33 of them.
Some Favourite Memories:
Came to Nelson half-way through Grade 8; Mr. Payton my first home room teacher. Shy, sometimes frightened of the bullying types. I remember two PE experiences, both in soccer. One: the teacher noticed one student liked to blast the ball right at an innocent defender. He took a few of us aside and taught us to cradle the ball with a planted heel, toe on top. Being one to follow instructions, I tried it. Apparently the kicker was cured. Two: I bent my right hand back, falling over a twisted ankle. A few minutes later, same pot-hole, same ankle, same hand. Dr. Barrett did a wonderful job of immobilizing it for 8 weeks, but feared it wouldn’t work the piano keys any more. However, continued use of the protruding fingertips seemed to do the trick. As for using the left hand, I remember Mr. Loomer giving me a “B” on a chemistry exam that was blank on the last two pages.
I appreciate, now, the school spirit. A parliament, the house system, the talent shows, the track meets where everyone competed, the dances. As a teacher in a city with 18 high schools, I never felt any of them quite “had it.” Certainly dancing fell away. Many years at J.O., the Valentine’s Day dance was it!
