Professor Emeritus Robert “Bob” Murdie, who spent almost his entire career with the Department of Geography at York University, passed away at the age of 84.

After joining York’s Department of Geography in 1968, Murdie enjoyed a long career as a dedicated teacher, an enthusiastic graduate supervisor, and a leading figure in Canadian urban and social geography – focusing especially on social housing and immigration studies by providing insight into the immigrant housing experience in Canada and the challenges experienced by newcomers.

“His work on social and economic indicators within the various neighbourhoods of metropolitan Toronto placed him squarely in the vanguard among those who laboured to bring depth and clarity to our understanding of the spatial dynamics of city growth,” says John Urquhart Marshall, a former Department of Geography colleague of Murdie’s. “Equally valuable are his later contributions regarding the impact of municipal policies upon housing development and immigrant absorption.”

“He did extraordinary research about urban housing markets. In 1992, he was one of the first to call attention to growing waiting lists for Toronto social housing, as tenants could not afford alternative rental or owned accommodation and stayed longer than any policymaker had anticipated,” says Professor Emerita of Geography Valerie Preston. “He did seminal research about the housing trajectories of immigrants and refugees that is incredibly timely right now.”

Murdie’s research interests led him to travel to various cities in Europe and to spend time as a guest researcher in Sweden and Amsterdam.

He also was enthusiastic about furthering others’ work and – in particular – enjoyed mentoring and encouraging his graduate students.

“He was a wonderful friend, a keen researcher and a superb teacher. He enriched the lives of thousands of undergraduate and graduate students in the Geography Department,” remembers Professor Emeritus William Found, a colleague of Murdie’s at York for over 50 years.

If desired, donations in his memory can be made to the Woodgreen Foundation, SPRINT Senior Care, the Temmy Latner Centre or a charity of choice.

Judith Loeb Cohen, a close and influential friend of York University, has passed away at the age of 80.

Judith Cohen, along with her husband, Marshall Cohen, were once recognized by The York University Magazine as the University’s “cheerleaders in chief” and for good reason – for over two decades she was a friend, frequent board member, event Chair, donor and more.

Cohen was introduced to York through her husband, who held the position of Chair of the York University Board of Governors for a decade. She quickly fell in love with the University. “York is such a treasure,” she said in a 2009 profile in The York University Magazine.

She and her husband created the Judith and Marshall Cohen Leadership Award for First Generation Students, which is granted to full-time, undergraduate students entering their second year who were the first members of their immediate family to pursue post-secondary education and demonstrated financial need. She also served on the Schulich School of Business non-profit advisory committee and chaired the University’s 50th anniversary celebrations.

A member of the family that founded the Loeb supermarket chain – acquired by Metro in 1999 – Cohen was not just a cheerleader for York. She was a champion of the arts, becoming the first woman to head a major arts organization in Canada, when she led the board of the National Ballet of Canada as president from 1987 to 1990.

She served as the founding Chair of the Invest in Kids Foundation, a non-profit organization devoted to strengthening parents’ knowledge and skills as they navigate raising their children. Through the foundation, she launched the annual Battle of the Brains gala fundraising event, which gathers funds to provide learning opportunities to children and continues to this day as one of the largest fundraisers for numerous charitable organizations.

She was board Chair of the Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada for many years and founded the annual Teddy Bear Affair fundraiser on its behalf, which supports families, children and youth whose lives have been involved in the child welfare system.

Other positions she held include serving as a governor for the St. Michael’s Foundation Council and the Mount Sinai Hospital Board. She was also a recipient of the Peter F. Drucker Award recognizing Canadian non-profit innovation.

In her magazine profile, Cohen said of the University, “It’s a very, very exciting place full of talented people.” She was, undoubtedly, one of them.

Memorial donations may be made in her name to the Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada.