In the autumn all of the Murray children were enrolled at Westacres Public School. Their father initiated and chaired the first June Fair to raise funds for the new school. Chic was becoming a participating member of the community.
Born in Toronto on February 9, 1914, Chic was the younger of two boys and girls. Before he could start school, Chic’s family moved to Buffalo, New York, where his father had purchased a light manufacturing company. He attended Bennett High School, where he excelled at sports, track and field in particular. After graduation, Chic’s first job was as an office boy at Ralston-Purina Company at $15 a week, a respectable salary during the depression.
In 1937 Chic returned to Toronto on his own to accept a job selling for a book binding company. The following year, he would marry his high school sweetheart, Josephine Keith. Chic and his brother-in-law, Art Graham, started a construction company and built small houses in the Chestnut Hills area of Islington. As World War II grew darker, building supplies became increasingly scarce; the company did not survive these severe difficulties. With their new baby boy, Chic and Jo moved to London, Ontario, in 1941, where Chic worked as a $0.40/hr mill worker for Quality Steel Company before being promoted to a more suitable sales position in 1944. He was successful in sales, and in 1950, Chic accepted an offer to become National Sales Manager of Erie Iron Works in St. Thomas, Ontario. The position required that Chic and Jo move their family of four children to the Toronto area in 1953 and Applewood Acres the following year. The post-war years were full of promise for the Murrays. The Township of Toronto would be good for the young family and lead to fulfilling adventures, especially for Chic.
Chic had not long been on council when he and Reeve Robert Speck recognized a special bond between them. They seemed to complement one another’s strengths and had the same vision for the future. After two years, Speck supported Chic in a bid for the position of Deputy Rreeve of the Township. In 1960 Chic defeated Caye Killaby to become Deputy Reeve of the Township of Toronto, a position he held from 1960 through 1967. When the township, along with the Towns of Port Credit and Streetsville, merged to become the Town of Mississauga in 1968, Bob Speck was elected Mayor, and Chic its Reeve.
Mayor Speck was forced to rely more and more on his Reeve for support, as he began to experience severe heart problems. When this resulted in one of Canada’s first heart transplant operations, Chic was named Acting Mayor for the period of 1971-197; then, upon the death of Robert Speck, the popular councilor was unanimously acclaimed mayor to serve out the term through 1973. Mississauga was to achieve city status in 1974; Chic was eager to see his and Speck’s wish become a reality. It was not to be.
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