Barbara Winifred MURCK

Dr. BARBARA WINIFRED MURCK Dr. Barbara Winifred Murck, Geologist and Environmental Scientist, passed away peacefully on October 15, 2022 after a sudden and brief illness at the age of 67. Barbara graduated from Princeton University A.B. Magna cum Laude, Geological and Geophysical Sciences in 1976 and received her Ph.D., Geology from the University of Toronto in 1986. She has been a distinguished member of the Department of Geology and Programs in Environment at the University of Toronto, Mississauga since 1995. Barbara was honoured with the President's Teaching Award, the highest award for teaching at the University of Toronto and was the author of more than 20 books and scholarly publications in Earth Science, Geology, Environmental Science and Sustainability. Barbara was also instrumental in program design and delivery of the Ecology and Conservation in Ecuador: Amazon, Andes and Galápagos field course. Dr. Murck was proud of her students many of whom fondly continued to contact her from around the world long after graduation. Barbara was committed to volunteerism and community service and was a valued and respected member of the Board of Directors of the Trillium Foundation, the Ontario Science Centre and EcoSpark. She was a strong supporter of the Toronto Brigantines youth sail training program and was honoured with the Volunteer of the Year Award in 2007. Most recently, Barbara received an invitation to sit on the Board of Directors of the Bruce Trail Conservancy, a position which she was unable to accept due of her illness. An avid hiker, Barbara was dedicated to the preservation and conservation of the Bruce Trail corridor. She was in the process of her completing her second end-to-end hike of the Trail when her illness struck. Hiking the Trail brought her, and her hiking family, many happy hours of peace and joy. To honour her memory, Barbara's family would like to place a memorial leaf on one of the two Bruce Trail memorial displays. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Bruce Trail Conservancy at brucetrail.org or (905) 529-6821. (Please indicate that your gift is in memory of Dr. Barbara Murck.) A private family gathering held in the coming days will be followed by a Celebration of Life in the spring of 2023. Barbara is survived by her loving children, Eliza and Riley King; her devoted brother and sister, Christopher Murck and Carolyn Johnson; and her husband, Jack King. She will be dearly missed by family and friends, colleagues and students, and all who knew her. Solvitur ambulando: it is solved by walking.