Obituary: Levin’s own piper Murray Easton remembered

The Pipe and Drums of Horowhenua played at the Levin Uniting Church entrance for the funeral of Murray Raymond Easton.

The stirring sound of bagpipes rang out at the funeral for a Levin man who was a familiar face in the community and whose love of the great Highland bagpipe took him around the world.

Murray Raymond Easton died on June 11 in Palmerston North surrounded by family. He was 76. His funeral was held at Levin Uniting Church on Monday.

The pipes were a large part of family life for Murray, having learnt to play as a youngster in Hawke’s Bay.

Murray earned the well-deserved title of ‘Levin’s Own Piper’.

His piping career spanned more than six decades, including 60 Anzac dawn parade services, 35 consecutive Anzac Retreat services at the Tiro Tiro Rd Cemetery, civic parades, Christmas parades, St Andrew’s Day, haggis ceremonies, and a host of private functions, like weddings and birthdays.

He travelled the world with his bagpipes. He played for the Queen Mother’s 100th birthday, the Edinburgh Tattoo, and was invited to play with the City of Christchurch Pipe Band in Tripoli, Libya, in a military music festival in honour of Colonel Gaddafi’s 40 years in power.

Murray was bestowed life membership of the Horowhenua Scottish Society in 1996 and was recognised at the Horowhenua District Council’s Civic Honours awards in 2015 for his significant contribution to the community.

Murray Easton played the pipes for more than 60 years.

In his professional life he worked as a funeral director at I.C. Mark for 30 years and through his work had become well-known and respected.

I.C. Mark’s owner Dennis Mark said of Murray: “He was a gentleman and a gentle man. Nothing ever flustered him.

“He would go quietly about his tasks and make sure there were no loose ends. He would have done funeral services for thousands of people and their families. He was well known and well respected.”

Murray Easton is survived by his sons, Robert, Stuart, Cameron and Lindsay, and nine grandchildren.