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In memory of those who have Crossed the Bar
BURR, George Albert - Passed away peacefully, at Sunnybrook Hospital's palliative care unit on Thursday, May 20, 2021. Born January 27, 1926, in London, Ontario, he developed a fascination at a young age with radios, and loved to tinker with anything mechanical. As a teenager he delivered newspapers, where he got very friendly with a one particular customer's daughter, June, and stopped to chat so long that neighbours complained about their late paper delivery! George enlisted with the navy during the war, and received training in Halifax as a communications expert in radio and morse code. George and June were married in London in 1947, and shortly thereafter he was hired by NCR (National Cash Register), where he worked until his retirement. After London, they lived in North Bay, Toronto, and Dayton, settling in Scarborough in a newly built house in 1954, which they only vacated in 2018. George developed many hobbies and interests over the years but never lost his love for radio, and pursued this hobby as a HAM radio operator. He joined the Metro Marine Modellers, Toronto's model boating club, and spent many hours tinkering in his basement workshop. Daughters Diane and Linda remember happy times catching tadpoles at the pond, while the men ran their boats. He was a great inventor of useful gadgets – our home TV had a mute switch long before anyone else! Sailing also became a great passion, and George was one of the founding members of the Cathedral Bluffs Yacht Club. Known as one of the "dirty thirty" with mud on their boots, they built the club from the ground up. He and June made many lifelong friends over the years at the CBYC. George was a devoted husband to June and father to his daughters Diane and Linda. He was especially devoted to caring for June in their later years together, and driving June to her hair appointments became a weekly ritual that could not be missed. All who met George commented on his kindness, strength and dignity – he was a real gentleman. His sense of humour, wit and sharp intelligence will be dearly missed. His passing leaves a great gap in our lives, as when a great tree falls in the forest. He is survived by daughters Diane (Arnie) and Linda; grandchildren Mira, Sebastian and Alice; and great-grandson Sasha. In lieu of flowers, we suggest a donation to the Palliative Care Unit at Sunnybrook or a charity of your choice. (The Toronto Star 23 May 2021)
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