Murray HERST

MURRAY HERST 1930-2022 Died at Kensington Hospice on October 9, 2022. Son of Joseph Hershkovitz and Bayla Krause. Husband of 68 years to Roslyn Ezrin. Father, grandfather, physician, medical administrator, woodworker, sailor, mentor, friend. A graduate of University of Toronto Medical School, Murray practiced family medicine with his partners at the Concord Medical Clinic while also serving as Medical Director at Baycrest Hospital, Doctors Hospital, Metro Homes for the Aged, and as founding Medical Director at Kensington Gardens. Murray practiced patient-centered medicine long before the term was popularized. His generations of patients remember that, above everything else, Dr. Herst always took the time to listen. His legacy goes beyond the buildings and institutions he administered and helped to found. It lies in the spirit of professional dedication to, and personal care for, the dignity of every patient that gives those institutions purpose. Family was at the heart of Murray's life: his late brothers Albert Hershkovitz, a beloved mentor and friend, and Morris Herst, a kind and loyal presence, and his children, Adam, Jordan, and Beth. Murray was delighted when the family expanded to include Elizabeth, Max, Theo and Abraham; Cheryl, Matthew and Sarah; and Sandford, Alex and Nathaniel. He cherished the time he spent with them all, whether in Toronto or at Oak Terrace, the second home that meant so much to Murray and Roslyn both. The family thanks Susan and Denice Lim, Delia Gajo, Dr. Marnie Howe, Dr. Melissa Melnitzer, and the staff of Kensington Hospice who cared for Murray in his difficult final days with the same compassion, dedication, and respect he showed his own patients for more than five decades. Donations in memory of Murray Herst can be directed to Kensington Hospice. Please donate at www.kensingtonhealth.org/memorial-giving, by phone at 416-964-3636 or by mail to the Kensington Health Foundation (250-240 College Street, Toronto, ON M5T 3A9).