Georgina Bourke
November 20, 1942 – September 21, 2020
With heavy hearts, the family of Georgina Mathilda Bourke (nee Amlin) announces that she passed away on September 21, 2020, at Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital after a brief illness.
Georgina was born in Windsor, Ontario to Melvin and Marie Amlin, and was raised on the family farm in nearby Amherstburg, Ontario. She remained connected to the farm and her large network of neighbours, friends and extended family in the Windsor area throughout her life.
After graduating from secondary school, Georgina joined the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary and taught at St. Mary’s Academy in Windsor. However, life had other plans for her and she left the convent to work as a teacher and special educator and graduated from the University of Windsor with a BA in 1970.
Georgina met Terry Bourke in Windsor and they were married in Amherstburg, with a reception on the farm on August 4, 1973 – a sun-drenched day spent surrounded by rows of corn nearly ready for harvest. Georgina and Terry settled in Oakville, where their son Patrick was born in 1977. They enjoyed visits with Georgina’s family in Amherstburg and Terry’s family in Toronto, travelling in Ontario and abroad and following and discussing the world’s events and history.
After raising Patrick and caring for Terry during a long disability, and guided by her deep faith, Georgina embarked on a career as a volunteer and community leader. Georgina served terms as President of the St. Dominic Parish Catholic Women’s League and as President of the Hamilton Diocese CWL. She was made a CWL Life Member and travelled across the country to participate in provincial and national conferences of the organization.
She was a longtime volunteer with Sharing Fair, a program of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd to provide a market in Canada for handmade goods created by women in developing countries. Georgina also volunteered with Wellspring, a resource centre for cancer patients and their families. Georgina was prolifically charitable, supporting a long list of causes each year with donations and advocacy. Recently, she joined with others at St. Dominic to sponsor Syrian refugees to immigrate to Canada and support them as they became established.
Georgina’s story is one of service to her family, friends, community and God.
She is predeceased by her husband Terry, sister Bernice, brothers-in-law Jon and Don, and sisters-in-law Tanya and Helen. She is survived by her son Patrick (Jill), sister Rose, brothers-in-law Jim and Mark, nephews Chris, Kevin and Sean and niece Tracy.
Special thanks to the doctors and nurses at OTMH who cared for her during two hospitalizations in the past year.
Visitation will be held on Thursday, October 15th by appointment only at Kopriva Taylor Community Funeral Home, 64 Lakeshore Rd W, Oakville, (905)-844-2600. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, book an appointment for the visitation at: Georgina Bourke visitation sign up. The funeral will be held at 11 am on Friday, October 16th at St. Dominic Parish, 2415 Rebecca St, Oakville.
In lieu of flowers, donations to The Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace (www.devp.org) or an organization of your own consideration are suggested.
SERVICES
Visitation
Thursday, October 15, 2020
2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Kopriva Taylor Community Funeral Home
64 Lakeshore Road West
Oakville, Ontario L6K 1E1
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Georgina Bourke November 20 1942 September 21 2020..
Kopriva Taylor Community Funeral Home
Death notice for the town of: Oakville, Province: Ontario