Recently I had someone reach out to me to tell me about an interesting gentleman named Morley and his wife Mary they had met while living in Ontario. Morley Bursey was from Old Perlican and lived to see 101! I am told he was a fan of all fish but especially lobster, when he wasn't cooking up some fish & brewis. He would always have stories to share about his years travelling the world while working in the diplomatic services for Canada.
This photo of Morley enjoying a lobster meal was provided by his Ontario friend who was lucky enough to enjoy many meals with him over the years.
Here is some of the info from the obit, below. It sounds like he had a very interesting, full and wonderful life. Please add a comment if you were fortunate enough to have met Morley!
BURSEY, Morley Byron
Passed away peacefully on April 21, 2013 at the Health Sciences Complex in St. John’s, NFLD aged 101. Predeceased by wives Catherine and Mary, his daughter Edith, brothers Harold and Lester, sisters Blanche and Sadie and grandson John. Left to mourn are sons and daughters-in-law Morley (Derick) and Maxine in St. John’s, and James and Kate in Ancaster, grandsons Paul, Peter, Wayne, Lauren and Mark, great-grandchildren Katie, Mathew, and Rebecca, sisters Joan Herder and Jenny Doughty, and a large number of relatives and friends around the world. Morley was one of Newfoundland’s most distinguished citizens, having been a member of the Commission of Government in the 1930s, after which he represented Newfoundland in Jamaica and New York. During the war he represented the British Empire at the Allied Food Commission, following which he was Newfoundland Representative to the United States in New York. Upon Newfoundland joining Canada in 1949, he transferred to the Canadian Diplomatic Service, representing Canada for the next twenty-seven years in New York, the Dominican Republic, Ghana, Norway, Argentina, Greece and Turkey, Sweden, Chicago and Detroit, as Commercial Councillor, Consul General, High Commissioner or Ambassador. After his retirement in 1976, he began a fourteen-year second career representing the Canadian Automotive Parts industry as Executive Director of the APMA, and with this responsibility was heavily involved in framing the automotive portion of NAFTA, and the growth of the Japanese automotive manufacturing industry in Canada. He has continued to represent the Canadian automotive parts industry as APMA Honourary Executive Director. A proud member of the McGill University Hockey Team, he was also the longest serving member of the Whiteway Masonic Lodge. An avid golfer and sailor, he will be remembered by many in Norway and Sweden for building significant good will through his volunteer activities at both the Royal Swedish and Norwegian Yacht Clubs. Politically active in retirement, he will be missed by his friends at the Albany Club in Toronto. His Family thanks the staff at Tiffany Retirement Village, where he resided since Dec., 2011, for their kindness to him and to the Nursing staff at Health Sciences 5NA, for their attention to his needs while in Hospital. After a life filled with adventure he will be greatly missed by us all!
