Obituary of John Burdon
BURDON, John
It is with great sadness that we announce the death of John Burdon on Monday, March 18th, 2024 at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Barrie.
Mourning his loss are Mary, his wife of 71 years, son Edward (Megan), and daughters Terri (Greg) and Lucie (Peter). Missing their dziadziu are his grandchildren Julie (Ian), Chris (Shelby), Sandi (Jason), Rebeka (Jonathan), Lauren, Jacqueline and Katie (Anders), along with great-grandchildren Dylan, Everly, Declan, Phoebe, Lennox and Olive. Also remembering John is his niece, Jeannie Richardson, and nephew Johnny and family, along with numerous cousins and family in Germany and his beloved Poland. John was predeceased by his sisters Helen, Josephine and Bogda.
John was born in a rural area of central Poland and was displaced to Germany when WWII broke out. After the war, he joined the Polish expatriate community in the Netherlands, where he made many life-long friends in his early adult years. It was also where he met his future wife, Mary.
Coming to Canada alone in 1951, John settled in the Niagara Peninsula, being attracted to the bountiful orchards and the welcoming local Polish community. Mary joined him almost a year later, when they married. The birth of their three children was celebrated over the next six years. After a series of transitory jobs, John was hired at the Ontario Paper Company, where he enjoyed a career that lasted 30 years.
John was a passionate, sometimes intense, man who was driven by a fierce work ethic, shaped by his Roman Catholic faith. Having been the beneficiary of a lot of help and support when he arrived in Canada, his gratitude and desire to give and help others was a deeply embedded core value. Through his various volunteer activities at his church, the Polish Canadian Legion and in the Polish community, he gained the respect and admiration of many of his peers.
John’s dream when he arrived in Canada was to become a homeowner. This was realized when he bought his first home on Elberta Street in St. Catharines and later when the family moved to Hillgarden Road. His homes always had robust vegetable gardens and an assortment of fruit trees. As well, his love of birds led him to build a mini-aviary extension to his garage on Hillgarden, where he raised and cared for canaries, finches and a Mynah bird called Sam. His periods of quiet contemplation were spent either in his garden or with his birds.
With no family in Canada, friends were cherished as aunts, uncles and cousins. Unexpected guests would arrive for Sunday dinners, where there was always plenty of food and drink.
After John retired, he made many happy memories with Mary and other friends through their travel adventures in Cuba, Florida, and Hawaii. As well, his playful and adventurous side was evidenced by his fearless attempts at horseback riding and trying new things. But his true joy came from spending precious time with his grandchildren; John was their most ardent fan and playmate at the park, in the stands or at the local swimming pool. His love for them, and subsequently for his great grandchildren, was boundless.
John died peacefully at the age of 100 years, surrounded by his wife and children. He will be greatly missed.
Special thanks are extended to the staff in the Respiratory Inpatient Unit at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Barrie Ontario. The care he received in his last days was exemplary and was a great consolation to his family.
The family will receive friends at the George Darte Funeral Home & Cremation Centre 585 Carlton St on Friday, March 22nd from 9:30am to 10:30am
A Funeral Mass will be Celebrated at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Roman Cathoilc Church, 5 Oblate St. at 11am followed by the interment at Victoria Lawn Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests either a donation to a charity of your choice or to the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Roman Catholic Church.