LEAVING A LEGACY
Murphy Cripps Memorial Scholarship

As a professional pilot, Michael Murphy flew all over Western Canada with his late wife Susan Cripps—from Prince George, BC to Inuvik, NWT—experiencing winter temperatures as cold as minus 50°C and sharing warm bonds that held fast through 45 years of marriage.

Upon Susan's death in 2021, Mike made Humber College aware of his intention to leave a gift to the school in his will to honour his late wife's legacy and those of his parents, Maurice and Carol Murphy. The Murphy Cripps Memorial Scholarship will support students who appreciate the great opportunities for personal freedom, responsibility, and development that we have in Canada, and who use journalism to strengthen bonds of truth, trust, and inclusion.

Susan, Maurice, and Carol themselves exemplified commitment to growth, truth, and engagement in defending policies and rights that contribute to others' well-being.

Maurice Murphy (1925-2011) and Carol Murphy (1925-2015) were born in London, England and met during WWII when Maurice was training to be an RAF pilot. Maurice completed his pilot training in Canada at war’s end and, after a brief trip back to England, decided to move back to Canada where he joined the RCAF during the Cold War.

Although born into wealthy circumstances, Maurice valued Canada's character as a place of opportunity and egalitarianism, and his life reflected this. As an RCAF pilot, he flew the Prime Minister, royalty and VIPs, and supported United Nations operations in the war-torn Middle East and resupplied the Canadian Embassy in South Vietnam during the Vietnam War. After retiring in 1974 as a Lieutenant Colonel, he held positions with the Canadian Yachting Association and Sport Canada, then became a management consultant. He volunteered in federal politics as well as a non-profit seniors’ home, seeking to promote sound politics based on facts and reason, and the well-being of others.

Carol was similarly committed to her beliefs in the value of education, personal freedom, and a keen awareness of those less well-off and without voices. She taught English and Physical Education, and did social work, before giving up her profession to raise Mike and his sister Alison. Carol spoke English, French and German, and was a voracious reader. A fierce defender of women’s rights and the underdog, she was a staunch supporter of Amnesty International’s efforts to free political and religious detainees. She assisted the refugee community by knitting mitts, toques and scarves for Canadian winters. Full of energy, she played the piano, skied, sailed, played tennis, figure skated, hiked, biked, and—in her 90th year—took up the hula hoop.

Like Carol, Susan Cripps (1956-2021), was often on the move, following Mike from Fort Simpson, NWT to Ottawa, Winnipeg, Washington and finally back to Toronto. She also did a daily power walk that left others breathless by its speed and distance. She, too, was a defender of the voiceless, as a supporter of animal rights organizations. Born in Etobicoke, she obtained a Bachelor of Journalism (Honours) degree from Carleton University. She set up and managed a community radio station in Fort Simpson, NWT, dispatched for a small airline, and served as a supply teacher.

In Ottawa, Susan joined the federal government and spent her career specializing in trademarks. She was part of an award-winning team that pioneered Working from Home (WFH) in the early 1990s. She retired in 2018 in Toronto.

Murphy’s bequest for Humber through the Murphy Cripps Memorial Scholarship will give Humber Journalism students the opportunity to appreciate the lives of this exceptional trio. Through their example and Mike Murphy's generosity, our students will be supported in their own value-driven endeavours to strengthen the bonds that, as Mike puts it, "hold us together as Canadians and human beings striving to reach their full creative potential and make this a better world for everyone."

To learn more about leaving a legacy to Humber, contact krista.odonnell@humber.ca.