Penelope Anne (Runkle) Burd

Penny died peacefully at her home on Denman Island on March 29, 2020, with two of her children and her faithful cat TomTom by her side. She was 97 years old. Mum first came to Denman as a five year-old in 1928, and it remained her happy place all her long life.

Mum was born in Vancouver on September 14, 1922, and educated at Crofton House School, U.B.C., and the University of Toronto. In 1942, she enlisted in the Women’s Royal Navel Service (the Wrens) and served in Ottawa for 3 years. Mum met our dad, Fred, at Jasper Park Lodge where they worked for a summer after finishing their wartime service. They married in 1947, and Mum followed Dad east as he pursued his academic career. Mum created a happy home for her growing family and made life long friends wherever she and Dad landed, from Ontario to the Maritimes, all the while dreaming of Denman where she had spent all of her childhood summers.

In 1987 her dream came true, and Mum and Dad moved west. In retirement they travelled extensively with family and friends, from Newfoundland to Haida Gwaii, and to Europe, particularly the UK. Mum was active in the Denman Island community, especially the Senior’s Society and St. Saviour’s Anglican Church. She loved bridge, Scrabble, Spite & Malice (a card game), and cryptic crossword puzzles. She practiced kundalini yoga into her 80’s and was a lifelong reader, turning to audiobooks as her sight diminished. Mum enjoyed daily walks with TomTom and, depending on the season, a sherry or G&T before dinner.

Penny was predeceased by her beloved husband of 61 years, Professor Frederick Burd in 2008, her eldest daughter Hilary in 2011, and eldest grandchild Simon Dell in 2020. Penny was the loving and much loved mother (mother-in-law) of Hilary (David Dell), Martha, Geoffrey (Beverly Kuhn), Christopher (Mary Munro), Rosemary (Gordon MacKenzie), and Matthew (Kelly Hall). She was the proud Granny of 12 grandchildren: Simon and Trevor Dell (Mireille Gharib); Sarah (Matthew Brearey), Heather (Dan Snowball), Emily (Dan Hibben), and David Burd (Megan Robertson); Hugo (Ashlynn Steeves), and Griffin Burd; Hannah (David Linton), and Alys MacKenzie; Rowan and Madelaine Burd; and beloved great grandmother of Emmett and Elyse Brearey, and Adelaide and Willow Snowball.

We are deeply grateful to the Denman community, which supported Mum living in her own home until the end of her life. A celebration of Penny’s life will be held once hugs are allowed.