Obituary of Audrey Ellen Martin

MARTIN: Audrey Ellen Martin (née Morrison) passed away peacefully at the Assiniboine Centre on Saturday, October 31st with her family by her side. Audrey was born on September 17th, 1930 in Toronto, Ontario to Harry Morrison and Charlotte Morrison (née Maddock). In 1951, their small family grew with the birth of Wayne, her only sibling. As a young girl, Audrey spent many happy summers with her parents and grandparents at their cottage at Rice Lake. Later, Audrey put her love for animals to practical use as an assistant to Dr. Edith Williams, one of Canada's first woman veterinarians. This led to Audrey choosing veterinary medicine as her profession. It was at the Ontario Veterinary College in Guelph that she met Murray Martin who was to become her husband and partner for life. She graduated from OVC in 1955 and she and Murray were married in December of that year. After Murray's Graduation in 1956, they moved to Canora, Saskatchewan where Murray worked as a government veterinarian, and their eldest son Kim was born. They moved to Brandon, Manitoba in 1957 and soon established the Martin Veterinary Clinic which they operated for the next twenty years. In 1959, they welcomed their youngest son Chris to the family. Audrey balanced the challenges of raising a family and working in a growing veterinary practice with an enduring appetite for learning, taking numerous courses at Brandon University in the natural sciences, geology and archaeology. One highlight of her studies was a week-long dinosaur dig with the Tyrell Museum in Alberta. Audrey loved to travel and explore new places, a passion that took her to Egypt, Thailand, Hong Kong and the Philippines. She also travelled closer to home, often spending several weeks a year at her parents' cottage on Georgian Bay in Ontario, and later at the family cabin at Clear Lake. Audrey was actively involved in community life through two terms as a Brandon city councillor, as a member of the Quota Club, and as a board member of the Royal Manitoba Exhibition. Her greatest love though, was her family, especially her sons, her grandchildren and her great-grandchildren. Audrey is survived by her husband Murray Martin, her sons Chris and Kim, her daughter-in-law Karin Petersson-Martin, grandchildren Kirsten Petersson Martin (Francis Webb) and Kathryn Petersson Martin and great-grandchildren Evelyn Petersson-Webb and Theodore (Teddy) Petersson-Webb. She was predeceased by her parents Harry and Charlotte Ellen Morrison, and her brother Wayne Morrison. A service in celebration of her life was held at the Brockie Donovan Chapel on Friday, November 6th. In honor of her veterinary service in our community, donations may be made to the Brandon Humane Society, 2200-17th Street East, Brandon, MB, R7A 7M6, or to Funds for Furry Friends, Suite 208, 740-Rosser Avenue, Brandon, MB, R7A 0K9.