Technologies pioneered decades ago by Lawrence Morley to create thousands of maps of Canada’s natural resources are still used to this day.

The renowned geophysicist, who died April 22 at age 93 at his home in Leith, founded the arm of the federal government that has developed remote sensing techniques now capable of monitoring everything from changing conditions in the Canadian Arctic to the spread of forest fires and harmful invasive species.

“He had a very broad career, but he created a centre of expertise that exists to this day as a national leader in earth observation for Canada,” said Douglas Bancroft, the current director-general of the 42-year-old Canada Centre for Remote Sensing.

A celebration of Mr. Morley’s life is scheduled for Saturday at 1 p.m. at St. George’s Anglican Church in Owen Sound.

Remote sensing technologies developed by Mr. Morley have been used to create maps of the earth’s magnetic field that have aided the mining and oil industries to discover billions of dollars worth of resources, according to an obituary published by the Globe and Mail.

But likely his most recognized accomplishment was the role he played in developing the Morley-Vine-Matthews hypothesis, which led to experimental proof of continental drift and laid the foundation for the theory of plate tectonics.

His paper was at first rejected, but after two other scientists had the same hypothesis published in the journal Nature, it was hailed as a breakthrough.

Mr. Morley was appointed as an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1999, received a gold medal from the Royal Canadian Geographical Society in 1995 and a gold medal from the Canadian Remote Sensing Society in 1986.

“It’s rare to have a combination of high scientific expertise, leadership, management and a very clear vision and a passion. He had it all rolled up into an individual,” Bancroft said.

Born in Toronto in 1920, Mr. Morley moved to Owen Sound at age 13 after his father was appointed a judge in the city. He attended OSCVI, then Lakefield College School and later the University of Toronto.

He joined the Royal Canadian Navy and served as a radar officer during the Second World War.

After returning home, he earned a master’s degree and PhD in geophysics from the University of Toronto.

Mr. Morley became the first geophysicist to work for the Geological Survey of Canada in the early 1950s.

He is considered a pioneer in the field of remote sensing, “the science of acquiring information about the earth’s surface without actually being in contact with it,” according to a government website.

He founded and would serve as the first president of the Canadian Remote Sensing Society in the early 1970s and was also the first director-general of the Canada Centre for Remote Sensing, now part of Natural Resources Canada.

Mr. Morley also created his own consulting firm in remote sensing and served as the founding executive director of the Institute for Space and Terrestrial Science.

Over his career, Mr. Morley authored 65 scientific and technical papers on mineral exploration and remote sensing.

Mr. Morley’s widow Beverly, 77, said her late husband bought a property at Leith in 1941. The couple moved to a home there in 1991 “and we’ve been here ever since,” she said.

Mr. Morley loved church and being a member of the Silver Cs service club.

She said her husband was a sweetheart, a great father and grandfather and was loved by all.

“Honestly, he was the most honest and humble man,” said Beverly, who was married to Mr. Morley for 43 years.

She said she has received telephone calls and more than 1,000 e-mails from people from around the world since her husband’s death from people who were touched by his life and legacy.

Mr. Morley is survived by six children and 10 grandchildren.