Marian Burke left this world peacefully on March 26 2024 surrounded by her family and her favourite music. 

She leaves behind her husband Fabio, sisters Patricia (Bill Smith), Kathleen (David Harries), and Ann (Michel Belleville), and many nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews. She is remembered for her creative vision, her humor, her love of books, art, and music but especially for her love of spending time with family and friends. She topped off her over 30-year career teaching high-school literature by mentoring student teachers, judging writing competitions, and fund-raising for a local children’s library. Her love of travel took her to New York, Boston, Europe, North Africa and India. Reading was always her passion whether after resting from a hike in the Laurentians in summer or as a snowbird on Hilton Head Island or Florida in winter. Always a keen reader of the newspaper and the New Yorker, she was also at one point a member of three book clubs. Marian loved to entertain and expertly prepared gourmet-level creations. Her keen eye for color, form, and proportion transformed rooms, plants, flowers, table settings into works of art. Ever the walker and hiker, there was never a destination too far to be walked to, and she kept to her discipline of a daily walk to the very end. She faithfully supported her circle of friends and fiercely strove to attend every family event. Marian loved music especially choral, opera, and Broadway musicals which she produced and directed as the extracurricular part of her teaching career. Her enthusiasm, energy and good humour were legendary as were her stories of close calls and escapades in her eclectic adventures. 

A celebration of Marian’s life will be held at Kane & Fetterly 5301 Decarie on Saturday 13-April. Condolences at 11:00, Memorial service at 13:00, Reception 14:00-17:00. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to a charity of your choice.