ELAINE "BUNTY" BURKE

ELAINE "BUNTY" BURKE March 9, 1929 - December 12, 2013 Elaine Rosamond Hemsworth, born March 9, 1929 in Nainital, India, the only child of Dudley Delawar Hemsworth and Kathleen Maud Bearcroft. Known simply as "Bunty", a name her father gave her at infancy. Bunty and her parents moved to Jamaica, where she was educated at Titchfield school and St. Hilda's. She was an actress, an airline hostess and then Entertainment Manager at Tower Isle Hotel in Ocho Rios. There she met and began a lifelong romance with Douglas Burke, the love of her life. They married in 1955 and a year later gave birth to the first of five children. Bunty's children learned from their mother, the art of kindness. She imparted her faith, imbued a sense of decency and encouraged them to be creative, articulate and communicative. "Anything worth doing, is worth doing well" she would tell them. In 1977 Bunty and Doug emigrated from their beautiful island home to start life again in Canada. They felt that it was a land of opportunity that would be good for their children. Bunty adapted easily to life in a new country and actually loving the four seasons! She worked at the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada, and finally she supported Doug in his roles at 100 Huntley Street, often travelling with him as tour leaders to the Holy Land. She loved the Lord, and was involved in the church throughout her adult life. Predeceased by her parents and her beloved Doug (June 8, 2012), Bunty leaves her legacy to her five children: Timothy (Paul Magnus), Kathryn Mooij (Peter), Nicola Keene (Derrick), Paul (Vicky) and Stephen (Jana); 12 grandchildren and their spouses: Stephen, Johan (Amanda), Lisa (Andrew), Nathanael (Chanel), Rachel, Erin, Arielle, Jordan, Sarah (Josh), David (Kristen), Kiyomi and Caleah and her six great- grandchildren: Solomon, Wyatt, Gideon, Emily, Levi and Jaiden. She will be missed by her brother-in-law Gary (Hélène) of Quebec and sister-in-law Patricia Jackson of California, as well as many nieces and nephews. A celebration of Bunty's life will take place at 7:00 p.m., preceded by a reception at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, December 16, at the Mt. Pleasant Visitation Centre, 375 Mt. Pleasant Road, Toronto. Gifts in Bunty's memory may be sent to Matthews House Hospice in Alliston, ON. For condolences and details of services please visit www.etouch.ca