Mary (Van Bergen) Burkholder
October 27, 1943 ~ June 27, 2020 (age 76)
Mom grew up in Gem and had many wonderful memories of the 2 homesteads there. She & dad married in Gem August 4, 1962 and moved to Duchess to raise their family. Mom was an amazing mother and kept busy with the hotel & restaurant industry where she met many people. Besides her family, her interests were incredibly diverse from her wonderful cooking and preserving which she unselfishly shared; gardening (she always had a huge garden to supply food for the table); to photography that included part of the record keeping for family, church and the community. She was a master genealogist and spared no effort in her researching, cataloguing, writing articles and unselfishly shared the fruits of her labours with many organizations and the community. She was instrumental in the building and organizing of the Duchess Mennonite Church archives and spent much time with the Alberta Genealogical Society where she achieved a lifetime membership. She gave comfort to many in need and gave her time selflessly to try to make their lives easier. One of the last meals mom was able to enjoy was her favourite: liver and onions. Lovingly remembered by her husband Harold & her 3 children, Raymond, Gloria (Ken), Arnold (Laurie) & her 5 grandkids & 2 great grandkids & her sisters Betty, Dorothy & Martha. She was predeceased by her son Marvin, her parents John & Phyllis & her brothers David & Billy. Many thanks to the amazing staff at the Brooks Hospital & St. Joseph’s Carmel Hospice for their wonderful and compassionate care of our mom. In her memory, a donation to the Alberta Genealogical Society would be gratefully appreciated. Funeral Services will be held at 2:00 pm on Thursday, July 9 at the Duchess Mennonite Church. For further information or to leave a message of sympathy, please visit www.thomsfuneralhome.com or call (403) 501-1010.
