Murray Edwin Whipps

Murray Edwin Whipps, of Scottsdale, Ariz., passed away on February 20, 2024, after a year long battle with cancer.
The son of Hugh and Phyllis, he was born on November 13, 1945, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He attended McGill University, then Sir George Williams University. He met his future wife, Lori, in 1970 who was working part-time at a bakery, which had a broken ice cream machine. He was doing a favor for a friend and helping out by fixing it. When the two met, it was love at first sight. They were engaged nine months later, and married in 1971. They moved to Framingham, Mass. in 1977 after the birth of their first child, Kevin Whipps, in 1976. Murray would work in management at an international firm for many years, but was eventually laid off in 1985. When that happened, he purchased a software company and renamed it Phoenix Phive. He would move the business and his family to Scottsdale in 1987. Murray would continue to run the company until it closed on December 31, 2023. It was one of his greatest points of pride, and he would have kept the business open longer, had his illness not taken priority.
Murray was also an avid woodworker and home repairman. He created many of the custom cabinets and bookshelves found throughout his home with Lori, and had a professionally equipped workshop in their garage. He also loved birds, and not only kept a pair of binoculars in his car for on-the-spot birdwatching moments, but also fed them in his backyard.
Murray is survived by his wife, Lori, of Scottsdale, Ariz.; his son, Kevin, of Phoenix, Ariz.; and his grandchildren, Kevin Whipps Jr. (KJ) and Kaylee Whipps. Murray's daughter, Kara, passed in 2007, and is laid to rest directly next to where her father is to be buried.
While we lost our husband, father and grandfather, many others lost a friend. Murray seemingly made new buddies everywhere he went, as he greeted everyone with a smile and a jovial attitude. He considered his customers his friends and greatly enjoyed his talks with them. But most of all, it was his sense of humor and quickness with a "dad joke" that endeared him to many. He was a truly wonderful man, and we will miss him greatly.
Services will be held at Messenger Mortuary, 8555 E Pinnacle Peak Rd, in Scottsdale, at noon on March 2, 2024. In lieu of flowers, we request donations be made to Hospice of the Valley, an organization that helped Murray extensively in his time of need. Donations can be made at https://hov.org/donate/