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Bereavement

Donald “Pete” McIlwraith (1936-2014)

Originally from Guelph where he was founding president of the Guelph Minor Girls Softball Association, “Pete” moved to Kitchener, bringing with him his passion for softball, and he coached the Kitchener Civitan Jr. Ladies team for a decade in the 1970s. “Pete’s” achievements were recognized with his induction into the Guelph Sports Hall of Fame (1997), the Softball Canada Hall of Fame (2005) and the Waterloo County Hall of Fame . As a founder of Civitan Sports Waterloo Region, “Pete” replaced Ed Davies as the liaison to the Athlete of the Year Program in 2009, a position he held until “Pete’s” passing in 2014.

Ed Davies (1930 – 2013)

Ed was a long time member of the Kitchener-Waterloo Civitan service club, possessing a passion for sports and a lengthy career as a sports historian extraordinaire, as a key volunteer with the Civitan Sports Walls of Fame at The Aud and the Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex.  It was a natural progression for Ed to be a founding member of the Athlete of the Year Program in 1999, serving as the liaison for the award Sponsor Civitan Sports Waterloo Region for a decade. For his service to the sports community as a builder, Ed was inducted into the Waterloo Region (County) Hall of Fame in 2008.  Link to Ed’s obituary

Murray Grose (1935-2012)

Murray was an active enthusiast and volunteer of local minor sports, a key volunteer of numerous tournaments and events, a regular member of the 50/50 ticket sales crew and active member of Kitchener Sports Association, Civitan Sports Waterloo Region and the KW Civitan organizations among them as well as a member of the Athlete of the Year Organizing Committee from 2008 until his passing in 2012.

Brian Barras (1946-2011)

Brian was a supporter of athletes, contributor of spirit, a man of details, always prepared, modest in speech, generous in deed, never forgotten. As a parent of a nominee (Rebecca Barras, diving in 2006) Brian became a dedicated member of the Athlete of the Year Nomination Committee from 2009 until his passing in 2011.

Donna Weber (1939-2010)

As a long serving and enthusiastic volunteer within the sporting community in mior hockey and baseball, Donna was a natural to be part of the original founding committee for the Athlete of the year program in 1999. Dona originally served  on the Nomination / Selection Committee and became the driving force in 2004 with the hosting of the annual reception recognizing the nominees. Donna was a recipient of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal and an inductee into the Waterloo Region (County) Hall of Fame in 2004.