Evan Murphy Memorial Education Fund

Amongst his final wishes, true to form, Evan asked that in lieu of flowers we fundraise to help others in a meaningful way. Donations to this fundraiser will go towards an annual educational award in Evan’s name with the hope of spreading the values and ideas that were important to him and helping those with shared passions succeed. In doing so, we will continue to honour Evan, his incredible talent, and his generous nature for many years to come.

Evan Douglas Murphy

April 16th, 1992 – September 19th, 2024

It is with broken hearts that we share the passing of our beloved Evan following a courageous battle with a rare and aggressive cancer. Evan passed peacefully, embraced by the warmth and comfort of his loving parents, siblings, wife, and 4-legged best friend. He fought with unwavering determination, strength, and grace until his last breath. Evan never let his disease define him and did everything in his power to continue enjoying life, challenging himself, and making memories with his loved ones. He is a true inspiration to all who knew him.

Evan will be deeply missed by his wife, Heather Murphy (Lamourie), and their dog, Rory; His parents: Lillian and Ed Hall, Shaun Murphy (Nicole), and Bobbi Shiwak; Brothers, Josh (Amy) and Nate (Kim), and sister, Abbey; Nan, Greta Murphy; Aunts, Shana Murphy and Jaqueline Pottle; in-laws, Steve, Lesley, and Greg Lamourie (Amber), and Nana, Jo Mitchelson; the Saunders, Stanley, and Hall families; as well as his many wonderful friends and beloved Toronto Police family. Evan was predeceased by his grandfather and best pal, Buddy.

Evan was a gentle soul and truly good to his core. He was kind-hearted, thoughtful, compassionate, intelligent, and funny. Even in his final moments, he had his family laughing with his aptly timed dark humour. He was selfless beyond measure, always thinking of others and trying to bring comfort to his loved ones. His people meant the world to him. He was a loyal friend, a supportive big brother, a loving son, grandson, and nephew, and a devoted husband. He and Heather shared a pure love and true friendship that few are lucky enough to experience.

Evan was born in St. John’s, Newfoundland, and later moved to Ottawa to complete his undergraduate and master’s degrees. He was a lover of good books, delicious food, board games, travel, fruity beers, basketball, heavy music, and pushing his body and mind to their limits. Evan held on tightly to his childlike sense of wonder and was unashamed to nerd out on video games, fantasy novels, Pokémon cards, comic books, superhero movies, action figures, and the like.

Evan moved to Toronto to fulfill his dream of becoming a police officer. He adored his job, and it was undoubtedly exactly what he was meant to do in this life. In his short but remarkable career, he built an exceptional reputation and helped countless people. When he was no longer able to continue policing, Evan leaned into his creative side, reigniting his long-held passion for writing. He was incredibly talented and wrote many beautiful poems, short stories, and the beginnings of a novel that was bound to be a best-seller. During treatment, Evan completed a creative writing program at the University of Toronto and was working towards publishing some of his work. Writing served as an incredible outlet for Evan, bringing him and those he shared it with immense joy during an otherwise dark time.

Evan will never be forgotten, and his memory will live on in the many people who adored him and whose lives he has forever impacted.

A Celebration of Life will be held in Toronto - further details to follow.