HUGH WHITNEY MORRISON

HUGH WHITNEY MORRISON B.A. (ALTA), B.A. (HONS) M.A. (OXON) Peacefully, in his 99th year, May 23, 2006, at the Aurora Retirement Centre, Aurora, Ontario. Hugh had an extraordinary and very full life. Born May 15, 1908 in Vegreville, Alberta, he earned his B.A. (Hons.) (language and literature) at the University of Alberta, Edmonton and was named a Rhodes Scholar in 1930. At his Oxford College, Merton, he read literature and political theory from 1930 to 1932, with post-graduate studies in 1933. After serving as a reporter at the Toronto Star and editor of the Star Weekly from 1934 to 1937, Hugh was appointed the first Director of Talks & Public Affairs at the CBC, serving in Ottawa and Toronto from 1937 to 1943. Thereafter, he worked as Assistant to the President of a Central and South American airline out of New York until 1947. While in that position, he was recruited to assist 'Intrepid', Canada's spy master Sir William Stephenson, by reporting wartime activities of German agents in Central and South America. (In Hugh's library is a copy of A Man Called Intrepid by Stephenson dedicated 'To Hugh, my comrade in arms'.) From 1946 to 1948 he was a partner in a public relations firm in New York. Then he rejoined the CBC in its 'Overseas ShortWave Broadcasting Service' in Montreal as its first Director for Latin America. He returned to Toronto in 1952 as the first Director of Public Relations for the United Way, serving until 1972. On retirement, he developed a diploma course in Public Relations at Humber College and taught there until 1983. Always a keen scholar of English literature, particularly Shakespeare, Hugh wrote Shakespeare, his Daughters and his Tempest, published in 1963. He also wrote Oxford Today and the Canadian Rhodes Scholarships, published in 1958. Hugh was the oldest surviving Canadian Rhodes Scholar. Unfortunately, his autobiography remains unfinished. While at Oxford Hugh played hockey for the Spengler (European) Cup-winning Oxford teams in 1931 and 1932. Recently, he was invited to Oxford for a reunion of Oxford hockey teams and presented with a replica of his playing jersey. Hugh outlived three wives (Florentine St. Clair Sherman, Patricia LeMoine FitzGerald, daughter of the artist, and Marita LaFlèche) and one companion, Mary-Lucile Getchell French, called 'Ceeley', with whom he was reunited after an interval of 62 years; they had met while he was at Oxford and she was in Paris on her 'junior year abroad' from Smith College. Hugh is survived by his loving granddaughter Elizabeth St. Clair Morrison Field (Adam Christian) of Buffalo, N.Y daughter of his only child, Hugh ., Peter St. Clair who died in 1998, and his nephew Hugh John Bolton of Edmonton. Hugh's extensive library was donated in lots over many years to the University of Alberta and his Oxford College, with assistance from his long-time friend, book dealer David Mason of Toronto. His extensive Shakespearean studies collection was gratefully accepted in 2004 by doctoral candidates in the University of Toronto's English Department. His extensive memorabilia, including transcripts of wartime and other CBC shows Hugh produced, has been gratefully accepted by Library and Archives Canada (finding aid No. 2283). For more on Hugh's career, his publications and honours received, see the entry in the 2006 Whose Who in Canada. A memorial service will be held at the Morley Bedford Funeral Home, 159 Eglinton Ave. W. (2 stoplights west of Yonge St.), Toronto on Sunday, May 28, 2006 at 11:00 a.m., reception following there. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Canadian Rhodes Scholars Foundation in his name would be appreciated.