Sr. Patricia Burke, SOS

BURKE, PATRICIA MARY, S.O.S.

Sister Patricia died peacefully at the Houses of Providence, Toronto, ON April 28, 2018 in the 66th year of religious life with the Sisters of Service.

Born in St Jacques, Fortune Bay, NL, the eldest of eleven children born to Anthony Joseph Burke and Rita Mary Hartigan. Predeceased by her parents and sisters, Carmelita ( Jay) Coady, Eileen (Bill) Tobin, and brothers, Michael (Ena) Burke, Joseph (Ann) Burke, Maurice Burke, Desmond Burke and Terrance (Esther) Burke. She is survived by her sisters, Joan (Aldo) Missio, Kathleen (Edward) Power, and her brother John (Carol) Burke and many nieces and nephews. Entering the Sisters of Service on July 26, 1952, she graduated from the Maritime School of Social Work in Halifax and joined Catholic Family Services in Saskatoon as a social worker. In this ministry, she held supervisory positions at La Loche and La Ronge, SK in the provincial department of Northern Saskatchewan and as a social worker at Northlands College and the Grant Tinker Federation in La Ronge. She served on Leadership of the Sisters of Service, as Sister General, and administrative Council over the years. Between these assignments, Sister Patricia studied at Dalhousie University, Halifax, and the University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana, receiving graduate degrees. Her hospitality, graciousness and warm smile provided comfort while her administrative skills and clear thinking assisted many in her dedicated service to all. As a reservoir of community history, she also served as Director of the Archives in later years and compiled the Newsletter, the community’s publication to family and friends. With her passing, the Sisters of Service Community lost a community icon, a wisdom figure, a person of deep faith and a dedicated servant of the Lord. She will be remembered with great affection and gratitude.

The Sisters of Service extend their sympathy to family and many friends. May Sister Patricia rest in peace. Relatives and friends may call at the Sisters of St. Joseph of Toronto, 2 O’Connor Drive, Toronto, ON for Visitation Tuesday, May 1st from 9:30 to 10:30 am followed by Mass of the Resurrection at 10:30 am in the chapel. Interment in the Sisters of Service plot, Mount Hope Cemetery, Toronto, ON. Funeral arrangements entrusted to the Rosar-Morrison Funeral Home & Chapel, Toronto, ON.