One of Hamilton and Burlington's most successful businessmen and generous philanthropists has died.

Murray Hogarth, who founded the Pioneer Petroleum (now Pioneer Energy) empire with a single gas station on the Hamilton Mountain, died Monday. He was in his mid-80s.

His son Tim announced his father's death at the family's Muskoka cottage in an email to friends.

"Murray was a great Canadian," said former Burlington mayor Rob MacIsaac, now president of Hamilton Health Sciences. "He was an extraordinary individual and I'm very happy he lived in Burlington and Hamilton."

Terry Cooke, head of the Hamilton Community Foundation, called Hogarth "a remarkable man and a giant in the business community." Hogarth had aided the foundation and served on its board.

Hogarth and his wife Diana also gave the Burlington Community Foundation a $100,000 startup in 1999.

Ron Foxcroft, head of Fox 40 International and Fluke Transport, sat on the Hamilton board with Hogarth. He called him "a tremendous leader" who "had the uncanny ability to listen and when to speak. That's the key in business."

"I'm honoured to have rubbed shoulders with him. These fellows only come along once. He was a very special man."

Pioneer Energy now counts 140 locations in Ontario. It is the largest private independent gas station operator in Ontario.

A native of Napanee, Hogarth opened his first station on Nov. 29, 1956 at 859 Upper James Street, just south of Mohawk Road. By 1960, he had opened another four stations.

Over the years, Hogarth has donated money to Hamilton Health Sciences, Joseph Brant Hospital, McMaster University and the United Way of Burlington and Greater Hamilton.

"There is a life cycle of needs, that's the way I look at it," Hogarth told The Spectator. "The entrepreneur needs the community to support him to get his business going, then it's his turn to support the community from the profits made from that."

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The family was also behind Pioneer Pools and the former Pop Shoppes.

Hogarth is survived by his wife Diana, sons Gregory, Tim, Geoffrey, Christopher and Peter and 13 grandchildren. Funeral arrangements are not yet known.