Remembering Murray

Take a moment today and remember Murray Heifetz. The well-known travel industry pioneer passed away this past weekend (Sunday, Nov. 4, 2012) at the Constantia Retirement Residence. After completing his degree in aeronautical engineering at MIT, Murray Heifetz returned to Canada to help out at his father’s travel agency — Dominion Travel, which his father had established in 1925 in downtown Toronto, before it was moved to St. Clair and Yonge — and got hooked on the business and never left. Heifetz was there for the creation of the CITC, ASTA-Canada and ACTA. In fact, he was chosen as the second honorary life member of the Association of Canadian Travel Agencies — an honour that speaks to his accomplishments during the course of his career in the travel industry. And those who knew him in the 1970s and 80s, always said that Murray Heifetz was the “go-to guy” in terms of understanding air fare construction. In philately, he received many awards and high recognition as an international judge, exhibitor, and for research and publications. He has also won awards in bridge, tennis, bowling and curling. He was the beloved husband of Hilda. The loving father and father- in-law of Jim and Klara Heifetz, Dara and Irv Kideckel, and the late Ellie Heifetz. The dear brother of Gerald Heifetz. He was the devoted grandfather of Barbara, Pam, Jeff and Marina, Mookie, and Stevie. The devoted great-grandfather of Sammy. Donations may be made to the Murray Heifetz Memorial Fund c/o The Benjamin Foundation, 3429 Bathurst Street, Toronto, M6A 2C3, 416-780-0324, http://www.benjamins.ca .