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Robert Peter Purves
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Grain executive.
Born at Winnipeg in 1927, eldest of three sons of Robert Alexander Purves and Helen Kathleen McPherson (1903-1987), he received a Commerce degree from the University of Manitoba in 1948 then joined his father’s firm, the Inter-Ocean Grain Company, serving as its President from 1962 to 1988. He was President of Winnipeg Grain Exchange (1971-1972) and an advisor to the Canadian Grain Commission. He served on the boards of the Bank of Nova Scotia, Mutual Life of Canada, Greater Winnipeg Gas Company, and Grain Insurance and Guarantee.
On 16 November 1957, he married Doreen Margaret Tynan (1928-2013) and they had four children. He served on the Board of Regents for the University of Winnipeg, and on the boards of St. Amant Centre, Winnipeg General Hospital (Health Sciences Centre), The Winnipeg Foundation, Winnipeg Art Gallery, St. John’s Ravenscourt School, and St. Andrew’s River Heights United Church. He was an Associate Member of the Corporate Higher Education Forum of Canada. He was a member of the Manitoba Club, Winnipeg Winter Club, Masons, Khartum Shriners, Royal Order of Scotland, and Royal Order of Jesters. He was President and Treasurer of the Winnipeg Flying Club and Royal Canadian Flying Clubs Association.
He served as Honorary Consul of Finland for Manitoba and was appointed an Officer in the Order of the White Rose by the government of Finland in 1984. He received an honorary doctorate from the University of Winnipeg (1996) and a Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal (1977).
He died at Winnipeg on 16 February 1997.
See also:
Manitoba Business: Inter-Ocean Grain Company
Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 18 February 1997, page 32.
Obituary [Doreen Margaret Purves], Winnipeg Free Press, 20 August 2013.
Biographical profile, Scrapbook, The Winnipeg Foundation.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 5 April 2025
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