By Emily Stonehouse
Many would notice that flags around town have been drawn to half-mast. Dysart’s longtime mayor, Murray Fearrey, passed away on Thursday, May 28.
Forever calling the Haliburton Highlands his home, Fearrey was born in the community in 1941. By 1967, he had joined the workforce at the Municipality of Dysart et al as a municipal assessor; a role which allowed him to understand the intricacies of the public sector.
Fearrey was first elected to council in 1971, the same year he became president of the local Rotary Club. He stepped into the role of County Warden in 1974, and the Reeve of Dysart in 1975, a position he went on to hold for 12 terms.
He returned as warden in 1981 and 1987, and concluded his run as reeve in 1990. In 1994, Fearrey returned to the council table to fill a vacancy, and continued to serve until 2018.
By 2022, Fearrey felt “a responsibility” to return to municipal government, and once again became mayor. In January of this year, at 84-years-old, he announced he had no intention of running in the coming fall election.
Fearrey was present at both the Dysart council meeting this past Tuesday, and the County council meeting on Wednesday via Zoom. He passed away the following day.
While news of Fearrey’s passing spread across the community, his family shared a website that was dedicated to the life and times of the long-serving mayor. “Murray’s life was inextricably linked to the prosperity, growth, and character of the town he called home,” it reads. “His story is not just a political biography; it is the modern history of Haliburton itself.”
The tribute site brings attention to one of Fearrey’s earliest acts in the leadership role: directing the $30,000 proceeds from the sale of the Dysart Light Company into a newly established municipal reserve fund.
With the action taking place in the 1970s, the amount represented a significant sum for a rural community, and the fund continues to finance Dysart equipment to this day. “It was a quiet act of fiscal stewardship that speaks volumes about the kind of leader Murray always was,” reads the site, “thinking not just about the present, but about the community’s long-term wellbeing.”
County Warden Dave Burton shared his condolences towards his longtime colleague and friend this past week. “Murray was a dedicated leader who made an exceptional and lasting contribution to the County through his public service, and his passing is a great loss to our community,” he said. “On behalf of County council and staff, I offer our sincere condolences to his family, friends, council and staff at the municipality of Dysart et al, and to our community mourning his loss.”
Carol Moffatt worked alongside Fearrey during her role as the former mayor of Algonquin Highlands. “Murray was a significant mentor to me, even if he may not have known it,” she said. “We didn’t always see things the same way, but I learned a tremendous amount from him. He was strategic, practical, solution-focused, and often several steps ahead in his thinking.”
In his final term, Fearrey continued to commit to the development and betterment of the community he always called home. “Murray Fearrey left behind a legacy built not on grandstanding, but on a lifetime of showing up, doing the work, and caring deeply for the place he called home,” shared his family.
“He had a terrific sense of humour and a deeply caring side,” said Moffatt. “Many may not realize how much he quietly did for individuals, organizations, and community projects outside of his public role. He never did those things for attention or accolades; he did them because he genuinely wanted to help.”
The family of Murray Fearrey will be hosting a visitation for the community on Friday, June 5 at the Haliburton Community Funeral Home. “Much like he never sought recognition, Murray’s wishes were for a humble and no-fuss remembrance,” reads the funeral announcement. “The family wishes to honour that.”
As an expression of sympathy, donations to the Haliburton Highlands Health Services Foundation – Emergency Services and Acute Care would be appreciated by the family.
