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Cornelius (Casey) Burke, age 82 years, passed away after a lengthy illness on Saturday, Jan. 28, 2012. <br />
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Casey was born in Achterveld, Holland on April 8, 1929, the fourth of five boys born to Henry and Barbara van Burgsteden. As a young man of 19, in 1948, Casey immigrated to Canada. <br />
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He arrived in PEI, knowing no one and unable to speak any English. <br />
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He later moved to Ontario and met his future wife, Sylvia, a young Welsh nurse, in a Toronto Hospital where Casey was treated for injuries suffered in a vehicle accident. Sylvia and Casey fell in love and were married four months after first meeting – Casey still had a cast on his arm – on Oct.17, 1953. <br />
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Casey, Sylvia and their three children moved from Southern Ontario to Kakabeka Falls in 1966 where they started the Burke Dairy Farm on Mokomon Road. <br />
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Casey and Sylvia worked hard to make their farm a success, and were proud that the farm was continued on by their son and daughter-in-law, Jim and Brenda Burke. Casey and Sylvia loved to visit friends and entertain. <br />
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When they retired, they spent 14 winters in Florida. <br />
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They visited and played cards regularly with local friends, and kept in touch with friends in Southern Ontario, PEI, Florida, and family and Canada and overseas. <br />
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Casey was a member of St. Theresa Roman Catholic Church in Kakabeka Falls, where he and Sylvia attended mass regularly for over 40 years. He was a kind, gentle, and loving man, always willing to help, and always had time to “shoot the bull” with friends, or to drop everything to spend time with his children and seven grandchildren.<br />
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Casey will be lovingly remembered by his children, Jim (Brenda) Burke, Shirley (Larry) Niemi, and John Burke; grandchildren, Erin (Adam), Jeff (Andrea), Scott and Neil Burke, Lia (Damien) Julier, and Casey and Craig Niemi; great-grandsons, Hudson Julier, and Jeff and Andrea’s baby boy due in April; brothers Jim, Koos, and Hank van Burgsteden, as well as numerous nieces, nephews and other relatives. Casey was predeceased by his wife, Sylvia, on Nov. 11, 2011, his parents, and one brother, Jan, in Holland. <br />
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Funeral services will be held on Thursday, Feb. 2, when family and friends will gather in St. Theresa R.C. Church in Kakabeka Falls for the Funeral Mass beginning at 11 a.m., celebrated by Rev. Henryk Augustynowicz. <br />
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Following the Mass, cremation will take place and the inurnment will be held at a later date beside Sylvia in Stanley Hill Cemetery. <br />
Visitation and vigil service will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 1 at 7 p.m. in St. Theresa R.C. Church. <br />
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As expressions of sympathy, memorials to the charity of your choice would be appreciated. <br />
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Funeral arrangements are in care of the Sargent & Son Funeral Directors, 21 N. Court Street. <br />
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Online condolences may be made at <a href="http://www.sargentandson.com" target="_blank">www.sargentandson.com</a>.</p>
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