Earl Burke
elevated r1Zo2 May 7, 1925 – March 28, 2022
elevated r1Zo2 Visitation
Monday, April 4, 2022 from 4:00 – 8:00 PM
elevated r1Zo2 Holy Cross Catholic Funeral Home
211 Langstaff Road East, Thornhill, ON, L3T 3Z6
elevated r1Zo2 Funeral Mass
Tuesday, April 5, 2022 at 12:00 PM
elevated r1Zo2 Chapel of St. Joseph – Holy Cross Catholic Funeral Home
elevated r1Zo2 211 Langstaff Road East, Thornhill, ON, L3T 3Z6
elevated r1Zo2 Interment
Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery
elevated r1Zo2 Obituary
(Patrick) Earl Burke 96, of Toronto passed away peacefully at Markham Stouffville Hospital on March 28, 2022. He was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1925.
elevated r1Zo2 He is survived by his kind and loving wife, Geraldine O’Meara, sons Patrick (Pam Baker), David (Valerie Ruddock) and Stephen, grandchildren Sarah, Kathleen, Patrick (Hana Gunn), Jane (Chris Fletcher), Julia (Mark Greenberg), Carolyn, and Jacqueline, and great grandchildren Clara and Alexandra Greenberg.
elevated r1Zo2 He is also survived by sisters Mary Lucas and Betty-Ann Burke, and brother Robie (Lucy).
elevated r1Zo2 Earl earned a degree in electrical engineering from Nova Scotia Technical College in Halifax. He then headed to Ontario and worked for General Electric in Toronto.
elevated r1Zo2 Earl became a faculty member of the Electrical Engineering Department (Power Group) at the University of Toronto, starting as a lecturer while completing an M.A.Sc., eventually achieving full professorship. He was a well-liked lecturer, and served as Chair of First Year Studies for the School of Applied Science and Engineering for a number of years.
elevated r1Zo2 Upon retirement from the university, he continued working, consulting for nearly 25 years for Trench Electric (power reactors) in the GTA, where he had a number of patents.
elevated r1Zo2 He became an avid gardener, travelled widely with Gerry, and served for 25 years as a volunteer in the Palliative Care Unit at St. Michael’s Hospital.
elevated r1Zo2 Earl was preceded in death by parents Pacific and Elizabeth, his first wife, Anne Adele Stortz, and siblings Viola, Jim, Bill, Doug, Joe, Marion, Pacific, Don and Allen.
elevated r1Zo2 Earl touched a lot of people. He will be sorely missed.
elevated r1Zo2 In lieu of flowers, a memorial donation to UNICEF would be appreciated, if you so desire.
elevated r1Zo2 For those who wish to view this service, please click the link below. Online viewers, please be advised that the link will only go live 10 minutes prior to the service time.
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Please Click Here to View the Funeral Mass
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Dear Gerry & the Boys,
I just wanted to extend my deepest condolences to all of you for your lost of such a great father, husband, friend, and proff.
I’m not sure if you remember (or knew), but Earl was my Godfather – which I was very proud of. I have many fond memories of him that will forever bring a smile to my face – as I’m sure you do too. Any time I hear about ‘Magnetic Propulsion’ I always think of Earl.
I trust you will find the strength to get through the funeral (or celebration of his life).
Unfortunately, Andrea and I are in the Florida Keys – so we can’t be there in person, but we will try to connect to the link provided.
Regardless, know our thoughts and prayers are with your family during this time. We will be sure to have a glass of wine to Earl – one of the last great ones!
Kind Regards and God Bless,
Ted & Andrea Grace
My condolences to the family.
I first knew about Earl from Rita Stortz his sister in law but properly got to know him when he married my close friend Gerry.
I enjoyed his company on the many visits I have made to Toronto from the UK
He was so knowledgeable and interested in so many things. I appreciated his sense of humour too.
He will be missed
Norma
Dear Gerry and Family, I just got off the phone relaying the news to Betty and she wanted us to express her sorrow for your loss. Jeff and I made arrangements with Betty to be present virtually for the service. Our thoughts and prayers are with you all.
Earl was someone I cared deeply about. He was authentic and so easy to talk to. I remember us leaning on our hoes and shooting the breeze in the backyard instead of doing our chores. Sometimes he’d talk about electrical things, anodes or resistors; something I knew nothing about. It was as if he assumed I was as knowledgeable as he was about such matters. I didn’t have the heart to say, “Earl your getting way ahead of me here.” He was generous of mind and spirit and I will always remember him with love.
Dear Geary, We will be with you on Tuesday as we watch the Mass on line. Wish we could be there in person but please know that we are sending lots of love and best wishes for the months ahead. Dick & Ann MARSHALL
Earl was a delightful colleague at U of T. He was a bit older than me and became my defacto mentor. He was always cheerful and quietly helpful. I will remember Earl as a dear friend.
Dear Gerry,
My condolences to you and the family.
I have very fond memories of Earl as a highly esteemed colleague for many years at the University of Toronto. I remember his kindness, his unfailing support for his students, and his delicious sense of humour.
Dear Gerry,
My condolences to you and the family.
I have very fond memories of Earl as a highly esteemed colleague for many years at the University of Toronto. I remember his kindness, his unfailing support for his students, and his delicious sense of humour.
Ian McCausland
I remember Earl as a professor when he taught me transformers in the early 1980s. He was also my colleague when I joined the University of Toronto as a faculty member in 1988. I have nothing but good memories about Earl. He was a great teacher, a mentor, had patience in spades and was kind to everyone that he encountered. He represented the best that humanity could offer and that will be sorely missed.
Dear Gerry and family. We are so sorry that we won’t be able to with you in person for Uncle Earl’s visitation and mass. As you know, with Johnny’s health being what it is we are still not going out until Covid is further behind us.
We will be there in spirit and will be at mass virtually.
We’ll certainly miss Uncle Earl. He was a very special person to us. Sending you much love Gerry. xox
Rosemary Stortz and John Dorland
I am deeply sorry to hear of Earl Burke’s passing.
I remember Earl very well from the years he served in the Department of Electrical Engineering. He made more than significant contributions to the department.
He was a gentleman and a scholar. He was a wonderful and warm-hearted man. Please accept my sincere condolences.
Keigo Iizuka
Dear Gerry and family,
I’m so sad to hear of Uncle Earl’s passing, he really was very special.
I will be at the mass virtually this afternoon.
You are all in my thoughts and prayers.
Teresa Stortz