Betty Burke

Betty Burke, 50 Hill Street South

Betty Glover Burke (nee Hunt) (2 April 1923 - 21 July 2018) was a woman who lived at 50 South Hill Street, Thunder Bay, Ontario during the 1990s.

She loved to garden her flowers, and she sent Michael a congratulations letter in 2001 when he won an honourable mention in the BP/EUI Essay Contest 2001.

Early life

Betty Glover Hunt was born on April 2, 1923 in Winnipeg. Manitoba. She was the eldest child of Frank and Beatrice (Graham) Hunt.

Marriage and Family

50 Hill Street South, where Betty Burke lived from 1992 to at least 2001

Betty married George Henry Burke Jr. on 14 February 1947 and moved briefly to Kapuskasing Ont.

Betty and George had three daughters:

• Peggy Adams
• Katherine Smith (Jim)
• Charlotte Burke

Her husband died in 1986.

Jewelry Business

Betty's husband inherited and then passed on a jewelry business.

Timeline

1899: George Burke Senior, Betty's father-in-law, trained as a watchmaker in Fergus, Ontario

early 1990s: George Burke Senior comes to Lakehead; he works for Alex Ross

1908: George Burke Senior goes into business with J.H. McCartney, with a store in Fort William called McCartney and Burke

1933: George Burke Senior establishes his own store, "George H. Burke Jewellers", on Cumberland Street (Betty's obituary says 1933, the article on Dave Douglas Jewellers closing says this was in 1936) [1]

circa 1950: Betty and George Junior join George Burke Senior's business

1952: An article in the Port-Arthur News-Chronicle celebrates George Senior's 53rd anniversary in the jewelry business

1966: Betty completes the Graduate Jewellers Course. Betty was a member of the Canadian Jewellers Association.

1969: Betty becomes a certified Gemologist.

1973: Betty and George sell the business to Dave Douglas.

1986: George Burke Junior dies

Dave Douglas Jewellers, 898 Alloy Drive Place, August 2009

1992: Dave renames the business to Dave Douglas Jewelers [2]

24 October 2012: Dave Douglas Jewelers on 898 Alloy Drive Place "after 43 years in business (to 1969?)" shuts down due to retirement.

21 July 2018: Betty Burke dies

Obituary

Betty Glover Burke (Hunt) died on July 21, 2018.

Betty was born on April 2, 1923 in Winnipeg. Manitoba. She was the eldest child of Frank and Beatrice (Graham) Hunt.

Betty married George Henry Burke Jr. on February 14th, 1947 and moved briefly to Kapuskasing Ont.

George and she returned to Port Arthur and George joined his father's business. They had three daughters, Margaret Joan (Peggy), Katherine Frances and Charlotte Clare.

Educated in Winnipeg, Betty's first job was with Canada Packers , followed by six years in the Accounting Department of the Ford Motor Company in Windsor. After her children were old enough, she helped out at George Burke Jewellers with the bookkeeping. She completed the Graduate Jewellers Course in 1966 and was a member of the Canadian Jewellers Association, becoming a certified Gemologist in 1969. After the business was sold in 1973, Betty went to work for Stille and Sutton C.A. and she earned her CGA designation in 1981.

A life long learner, Betty took advantage of the Lakehead University Senior Program and completed a B.A. with a major in Sociology.

Betty was active as a volunteer throughout her life beginning as a Girl Guide Leader during the war. She was director of the Sunday School at St Michael's Anglican Church for many years. After retirement, she sat on several boards including the Red Cross, Via Vitae Palliative Care, Thunder Bay Field Naturalists and she donated many hours to the Volunteer Income Tax Program. She also was a member of the Greenmantle Toastmistress Club.

Betty enjoyed her walks and hikes with the Thunder Bay Hiking Club and The Speed Limits. She took several walking tours in England and saw a bit of Europe and Canada on Elder Hostel tours. She put miles on the walker, that she was required to use in later life. She loved line dancing and Tai chi.

Betty is survived by her daughters, Peggy Adams, Katherine Smith ( Jim) and Charlotte Burke ( Walter Ockley), her grandchildren Richard and Keith Adams, James and Jocelyn Smith and Graham Ockley. She had eight great grandchildren Brandon, Amy and Ethan Adams, Alyssa Adams, Shamus and Kelsie Hicks and Nathaniel and Gabriella Smith. Betty is also survived by her sister, Frances Linton and brother Roderick Hunt. She was predeceased by her husband, George in 1986.

A service will be held at Sargent and Son Funeral Home, 21 N. Court Street on Thursday, July 26th at 11 a.m. with reception to follow. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service. There will be a private interment at Riverside Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations to Hospice Northwest would be greatly appreciated.

Sources

[1] Chronicle-Journal Obituary, July 2018. [3]

[2] "Retirement leads to closure of Dave Douglas Jewellers." TBT Newswatch. 24 October 2012. [4]

[3] "George H. Burke Marks 53rd Year As A Jeweller". Port Arthur News Chronicle, 26 February 1952.

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