DAPHNE JOAN BURCH

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DAPHNE JOAN BURCH (SADLER) On Friday, September 11, 2015 in West Vancouver, Daphne, aged 96, passed peacefully after a brief illness, with her son Peter at her side. Daphne is survived by her sons John (Diane Shea) and Peter (Kathryn Cholette); her daughters Elizabeth and Judith (Laurent Vouriot) Burch; as well as her four grandchildren, Tim and Neil Jackson, and Samantha and Brennan Suche. She was predeceased by her husband John E. Burch M.D. in 1991; brother Clifford Sadler in 2004 and sister Stella Sadler in 2002, both in England; her father Alfred Sadler, in 1974; and her beloved mother Emma in 1961. She always kept a picture of her mother close at hand. Daphne was born on July 27, 1919 in a house on Eton High Street in Eton, England. She recalled an early memory of King George V riding past her house in a carriage. Her family subsequently moved to Brighton, on the South Coast of England. She had wonderful memories of growing up surrounded by books and animals. She excelled in school, especially in English literature and French. Her teenage years in Brighton were also exciting as her father became a key figure in the arts and entertainment industry, later to become the Mayor of Brighton. She met and subsequently married John in 1943, who was serving with the Canadian Army. She gave birth to son John in 1944 and Elizabeth in 1945, while still in England. In 1946, after the war ended, she travelled by steamer and train with her two preschoolers, to a place called Winnipeg in the middle of the Canadian prairie. The next few years were spent in St. Vital raising two more children and attending the ballet, Winnipeg Symphony and theatre events with John. CBC radio was her constant companion, and you could seldom tell her anything, in any category, that she didn't already know. She experienced losing her home twice, first to the 1950 flood, and then to a house fire in 1967. Each time the house was restored. She was a fabulous and adventurous cook and passed along her love of cooking and enjoyment of good food to her children. She had great strength of spirit, an open mind, strong sense of right and wrong, and a tremendous heart for animal welfare. After her husband John's death in 1991, she moved to Vancouver with her cats and her books. With the support of her son Peter and his partner Kathryn, she enjoyed many more years of independent living. When she moved into assisted living at age 90, with her last cat Toby, she met Claudette Delmaire. Claudette provided daily caring and support, even after Daphne's move into long term care, until her passing. Their friendship was special, and added immensely to her quality of life. Claudette's visits were always filled with fun and laughter. The family is grateful for her devoted service. Cremation has taken place and a celebration of her life will be held on October 4, 2015, 4:30 p.m. at the Unitarian Church of Vancouver. If friends so desire, a donation in her name can be made to an animal or wildlife charity of their choosing. "We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring, will be to arrive where we started, and know the place for the first time." - T. S. Eliot

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Sep 19, 2015