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Glacier Heritage Power and
Equipment Club
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Members of the Glacier Heritage Power & Equipment Club fondly
recall Dave’s annual visits to our show at the Comox Exhibition, Courtenay,
BC. Dave could be counted on to add much color to our show. Dave was a
character in the best sense of the word and a very important part of the
fabric of antique tractor fellowship. Our Club along with all who had the
good fortune to know him will miss him. WmG.
The following was from Dave’s Celebration of Life held in
Nanaimo
IN MEMORY OF DAVID A. MURCHESON
("Dangerous Dave")
May 2, 1946 to April 19, 2003
We are gathered here on April 26th, 2003 to celebrate the life
of David Alexander Murcheson, fondly referred to by his friends as
"Dangerous Dave".
Dave was a very generous man who would go out of his way to lend a hand
to any given situation. He will be remembered as a man that was always on
the go while riding on one of his John Deere tractors, wearing his Davie
Crockett raccoon hat and that ‘know it all’ smirk. Dave will forever missed
by his daughters Tanya (Jaun Carlos) and Jaime. His lady Anna, his buddy
Tuffy, and friends too numerous to count.
David Alexander Murcheson was born May 2, 1946 in Duncan, BC to Colin
Archibald Murcheson.
 He
was the first of five children and had two brothers Gordon (Bernie), their
children Sean (Colleen) and Tammy (Warren): Jimmy (Heather), their children
Kim (Tyler), Brent and Karen and two sisters Gwen (Tony), their children
Melanie (Tim), and Paula (Chad): Laurie (Dave) and their children Colby,
Brie-Ann, and Dayna: one great niece Emily and two great nephews Quinn and
Colin. He is survived by aunts, Rossy Hardy, Jean Streeter, Uncle Gus
Murcheson and many cousins.
At sixteen Dave began working for Reg Dorman’s Trucking & Fuel Ltd. As a
lowbed driver, mechanic and heavy equipment operator. In 1966 Dave
accompanied his grandmother Duncan to Scotland for six weeks (a trip he
often described as one he would like to repeat). In 1979 he began a new
career with M&M Contracting as a heavy equipment operator. In 1982 he moved
to Tumbler Ridge, BC where he worked for Fisher & Dillingham Construction
and in 1983 for Tech Corporation. By mid 1983 Dave had returned to Vancouver
Island and became an independent contractor with his own rig, his various
contacted jobs took him across Canada and the United States. In 1985 he was
diagnosed with cancer of the larynx but this did not stop him from doing
what he loved. He continued working with heavy machinery and a few years
later developed a passion for restoring vintage tractors which led to the
founding of the Vancouver Island Vintage Tractor Association in 1986.
His first tractor restoration was the Model T 1948 that belonged to his
dear grandfather, David Sinclair Duncan. His final restoration of the tandem
Model D John Deere started in 2001 (constructed at the University of
Saskatchewan in 1962) was completed with the help of friends and family by
the summer of 2002.
Dave spent all his spare time at tractor plough matches participating in
fairs and parades across Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland or on the
phone looking for new tractors to restore. He loved creating new inventions
and letting people use them as well as collecting and displaying his
homestead antiquities.
 The
numerous monetary awards he received for his talents and efforts were
donated to the Children’s Hospital Foundation. He also made numerous
contributions to other non profit organizations and to the Nanaimo Motocross
Association which he designed and landscaped in 1995.
Dave’s zest for life and love of family and friends made him ‘keep on
trucking’ despite the many obstacles life placed in his path.
He will be fondly remembered in our hearts and minds always.
If there’s a John Deere Heaven you can bet Dave will be
"Running with the Deere"
Dave's favourite tractor
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2003 - HERITAGE MONTH at the Driftwood Mall
by Willie Moore
We have just completed another Heritage display at the Driftwood Mall; it
is an event we look forward too; it’s the first of many that we attend
during the year. The time and effort the members put into each event is
immeasurable. Tractors had to be hauled; static displays had to be set up,
and many details to consider. Thank you to all the members who were present
to answer the many question share the memories of past days, and insure all
was safe.
In the past we were able to get posts, and ropes to secure our area;
however this year that wasn’t possible.
One of our members, Fred Meier’s, came to our rescue and donated some
that he had made. Hans Luck and Norm Bolton quickly went to Campbell River
to pick them up. .
February is Heritage month and we appreciate the opportunity" to show off
our stuff" at the Driftwood Mall.
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