The death of Ian (Nipper) Murray last Wednesday from polio shocked the entire community. Nipper had been sick only a few days and it was not until Tuesday evening that his condition was considered serious. Early Wednesday morning he was rushed to the General Hospital gasping for breath and in a state of unconsciousness. He was placed in a waiting inhalator, but his condition gradually became worse. He died at 1:40 p.m.
Nipper was 29 years of age and was born in Whitehorse, February 20, 1924. He received his schooling in Whitehorse before joining the Royal Canadian Air Force during the Second World War. Prior to and after his military service he was employed by the White Pass and Yukon Railway. He joined the Canadian Customs in 1945 and rose to the position of
Collector of Customs at Whitehorse. At that time he was the youngest collector in the service in Canada.
Nipper was a member of the Whitehorse Masonic Lodge, Number 46, A.F. and A.M.
He leaves to mourn his passing his wife, Dorothy, two children, Keith and Karen, his father, two brothers and one sister in Fairbanks, Alaska.
Memorium services will be conducted at the Old Log Church, Saturday afternoon. at 2:30 p.m. The Whitehorse Masonic Lodge will hold a service in the Temple at 2 pm. prior to attending the church services.
The polio situation in Whitehorse appeared to be well under control this week, when Whitehorse General Hospital reported three cases from the City were still confined to the hospital.
Three cases were reported from Teslin and two from the Mayo Road area. One death was recorded this week. Dawson City reported 14 cases, mostly natives.
Military cases have been reported from Edmonton headquarters as being in the neighborhood of 40. This amount is not official from local headquarters.
