Maurice Anthony Carrigy

It is with great sadness that the family announces the passing of Maurice Anthony Carrigy. On the afternoon of July 14th, our beloved father passed peacefully at the age of 96.

Maurice was a devoted husband and father and will be sorely missed by his loving family. He is survived by his wife of 75 years, Shirley Carrigy (nee Wansbrough), his children Molly, Colin (Janice), Brian (Tina) and Brendan (Megan), grandchildren Laura Lee (Andrew), Caitlin (Seth), Maureen (Ryan), Nicholas (Marina), and Alec (Monica), and great grandchildren Oceania, Lalika, Victor and Nicole.

He was predeceased by his father Peter Carrigy (1945), his mother Imelda (1969), his brothers Keith, Roy, Alan, and Frank, and his sister Imelda Rose.

Maurice was born on December 5, 1928 at Wahroonga, a northern suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. He graduated from North Sydney Technical High School, and after working at the C.S.I.R.O. in Sydney for a year he enrolled at the University of Western Australia in Perth and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in geology in 1949. Honours followed in 1950 and a Master’s degree in Geology in 1956. He worked at the Soil Testing Laboratory at the Main Roads Department, Perth, for five years.

In June 1957, he was hired as a research geologist at the Research Council of Alberta in Edmonton, where he worked for 18 years. For the final two years, he was seconded as Senior Advisor on Oil Sands to the Department of Mines and Minerals of the Alberta government.

In 1975 he was appointed Vice-Chairman of the Alberta Oil Sands Technology and Research Authority (AOSTRA), an Alberta government agency. He held this post for 12 years until his retirement in 1987. After a year as an independent consultant, he became Director of the Information Center for Heavy Crude and Tar Sands at the United Nations in New York City, a post he held until 1991. He then returned to Canada and lived in retirement in Canmore, Alberta.

In 1992, in recognition of his important contribution to the commercial development of Alberta’s oil sands resources, he received the Karl A. Clarke Distinguished Service Award.

In Canmore, he volunteered at the Senior’s Centre, eventually becoming president, and was one of the founding members of the Meanderthals hiking group. He also enjoyed painting, carpentry, and cross-country skiing. Maurice’s mind was sharp right to the end, living at home until about two years before his passing.

We would like to thank the doctors and staff at the Canmore General Hospital and the Golden Eagle View long term care home for their exemplary care of Maurice.

A private family gathering will be held to mourn Maurice’s passing.