Phyllis Rae Burke (nee Davidson)
August 9, 1926 - November 30, 2016
Phyllis was born in Calgary, AB, and moved with her parents to the Eidswold (Highlands) district in the Bergen area, when she was a year old. There were only 8 families living in Sundre at that time, including Sundre’s founders, Mr. and Mrs. N.T. Hagen. In 1928, the family relocated to Sundre, where Phyllis’ parents, Walter and Margaret Davidson bought a small farm on the West side of the Bearberry Creek. They grew turnips, milked cows and delivered milk to a few families. At age six, Phyllis was Sundre’s first “milk man”, using her little red wagon for deliveries. Phyllis attended the McDougal Flats School, walking or riding a horse 2 ½ miles to school each day. After she completed grade 6, the family moved to Clearwater where her parents helped her uncle, Jack Davidson, built a store for their good friend Chess Simpson. Phyllis rode her horse 1 ½ miles to the Wooler School, and in the winter, she was one of the students who hitched a dog to her sled for transportation. She made her own harness and also a travois to haul firewood in the summer. Fresh eggs, butter, milk and cream were purchased from Jack Browning who was the grandfather of the Canadian, World, and Olympic Champion figure skater, Kurt Browning. The Davidsons moved back to Sundre in the early 40’s where her father opened the Sundre Meat Market, which was ultimately lost to fire in 1954. Phyllis graduated from the Sundre High School in 1944 and completed normal school teacher training. She then taught at Rockwood School, and the next year taught elementary school and supervised older students taking correspondence classes at the McDougal Flats School. A new chapter began to unfold in Phyllis’ life, beginning in 1945 when David Burke returned to Sundre, after having served overseas with the Canadian Army. The following year, Dave and Phyllis were together as best man and maid of honour at the wedding of Louis Lund and Mary Henry. Mary and Louis’ wedding was significant for several reasons! The next year Dave and Phyllis were married, and in the subsequent, years, five children completed their family. While raising their five children, Phyllis assisted Dave in the operation and management of Burke’s Hardware and Building Supplies, and for 14 years, managed her own business, The Variety and Gift Centre. In 1966, Dave completed Grade 12 at the Sundre High School, and then a teaching degree at the University of Alberta. Phyllis took care of the children, and managed The Variety and Gift Centre during those four years, as Dave was home only every other weekend. It was a heavy load for Phyllis, but she persevered in supporting Dave to accomplish his life-long dream. She, in fact, deserved the B.Ed. as much as he did! Phyllis was inducted into the “Women of Aspenland” project on display at the Sundre Museum. This project honours women of central Alberta as heroines, for their roles in building their communities, and for their active public lives. Phyllis and Dave also worked hard to ensure that their family enjoyed holidays every year. They went on many pack trips in the West Country with their friends, and took their children on camping and horseback riding trips, in the Ya Ha Tinda. For seven years after their retirement, they travelled across the US and Canada by motorhome. They dipped their feet in the Pacific, Atlantic, and Arctic Oceans, and their time on the road was one of the happiest of their lives. They developed many friendships with fellow travellers, and enjoyed square and round dancing while on these holidays. Phyllis and Dave came back to Alberta each year in the summer to spend time with their children, and to reconnect with their Sundre friends. Phyllis and Dave’s lives changed forever when Dave suffered a serious brain trauma in 1989. Phyllis was completely devoted, for the next 20 years, to Dave’s recovery and to his enjoyment of life. During that time, she also travelled with her children and friends, to destinations such as Mexico, the Yukon, and Vancouver Island, always with an adventurous spirit. She rode a horse in the Blairmore parade when she was 80. Phyllis is survived by her five children, Corliss Burke (& Gordon Gilgan) Whitehorse, Yukon, Leslie Huber (& Glen), Bergen AB, Paul Burke, Victoria, BC, Morton Burke (& Dieu), Bergen, AB, and Brontie Tkachuk (& Allan), Calgary, AB, as well as her step siblings, Josie Rock and George Bramley, and her 5 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren. Phyllis was predeceased by her brother, Leslie Ross Davidson, her parents, Walter and Margaret Davidson, her step-mother, Clara Davidson (Bramley), her husband, David Burke, and her step sisters Barbara Weinrich and Hazel Smith, as well as many dear and life-long friends. Phyllis will be remembered as a devoted daughter, wife, mother, and friend. She was a teacher, business woman, animal lover, horse woman, and environmentalist - a life well and fully lived. Phyllis’ celebration of life will be held at the Sundre United Church on Friday, December 9, at 2 pm. All are welcome.