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Stuart Murray Warne died peacefully in his sleep at home on July 2, 2016, at 84 years of age. He is survived by his daughters Janis, Shirley, Patricia, and Carolyn; brothers Donald, Reginald (Sharon and family), Douglas (Marilyn and family); sisters Margaret Kuhl and family, Arlene Barker (Murray and family); sister-in-law, Laura and family; and his partner of 11 years, Doris Smethhurst. He is predeceased by his parents, Ida and James; his brother, Barclay; and his beloved wife of 47 years, Marilyn (neé Reesor).
Stuart was born March 1, 1932, in Calgary, Alberta, the son of a Canadian Pacific Railroad superintendent and roadmaster. His family eventually moved to Medicine Hat, and after attending Medicine Hat High School, Stuart hired on with CP as a steam locomotive firemen. Stuart loved steam engines, and often said being a fireman was the best job he ever had. When diesel replaced steam engines, he went to work at the Medicine Hat power plant. He married his high school sweetheart, Marilyn Reesor, on September 5, 1953. Together they raised their four daughters, and Stuart always enjoyed taking them swimming, skating, camping and fishing.
He eventually changed careers and began working at the Medicine Hat News in 1970, where he ultimately became sales manager, retiring in 1992 after 22 years of service. He enjoyed his retirement years, relaxing at home and travelling with Marilyn, fishing, hunting and riding his horse, Skeeter, and making wine with his friend, George Wilcox. Before and after retirement, Stuart contributed to the community, notably as a member of the boards of the Cypress Club (where he served as President), the Alberta Motor Association and the Medicine Hat Exhibition and Stampede.
Always adventurous, in 2002, at the age of 69, after Marilyn’s death, he went to New Zealand for three months, working as a farmhand on two cattle, sheep and deer stations, where he rounded up livestock from mountain tops, sheered sheep, and generally took part in every aspect of New Zealand country life. Just after his 70th birthday, while touring the country on his own, he went bungee jumping, rode a jet boat and went sky-diving, all in one day. Not long after returning from this trip, he met Doris, and they became close companions. On one of their trips to Cuba, for his 75th birthday he went swimming with dolphins, one of whom took him on a ride across the lagoon. Stu kept his composure and said that riding a dolphin was almost as fun as riding Skeeter.
Although he had slowed down in later years, Stu was still active, going to his “cowboy breakfasts” every Saturday morning, his Wednesday lunches with friends and out for dinner with Doris on a regular basis.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts in Stu's memory may be made to the Medicine Hat & District Health Foundation, Day Hospital Program.

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