In Loving Memory of

Dr. Muriel Whitaker

of Edmonton
Aug 5, 2016

On Friday, August 5, 2016 Dr. Muriel A. Whitaker of Edmonton passed away at the age of 93 years.

Born on June 14, 1923 in Kamloops BC, Muriel spent her early years as a teacher and Resort owner at Lac Le Jeune BC. She earned a BA in English from the University of British Columbia, an MA from the University of Toronto, and completed a PhD in English from UBC while raising her five children.

In 1969 Muriel moved to Edmonton to take a position in the English Department at the University of Alberta. She became an internationally-known scholar specializing in Medieval Literature, Arthurian Literature and Art and Children's Literature. During her illustrious career she traveled extensively in Britain and Europe compiling information for her many academic publications. She was also the editor of several volumes of Canadian short stories. Although she retired in 1990, she continued to write, publish and also to teach on an informal basis until her death.

Muriel maintained a summer cottage at Lac Le Jeune BC and took pride in never having missed a summer visit from the time she was two weeks old.

Muriel is mourned by her daughters Andrea (Don Fance) Easton of Blind Bay, B.C. and Mary Ellen Binder of Inuvik, NWT; her sons John (Kyung) Whitaker of Richmond B.C. and Peter (Petr Simon) Whitaker of Royston, England; grandchildren Adam, Bernadette, Kristian, Ian and Karen; sisters Mary (Dick) Herman and Daisy McColl, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

She is predeceased by her daughter Allison Whitaker and her brothers Bill, Jim and Bud McDiarmid.

A Memorial Service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, August 15, 2016 at St. John the Evangelist Anglican Church, 11111 - 57 Avenue, Edmonton . In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The United Way or The Canadian Cancer Society.