BURKE (Bourque), Marguerite Josephine - 95, Harvard Street, Halifax, passed to her rest Thursday, August 30, 2007, in Halifax. Born in Tusket, Yarmouth Co., in 1912, she moved to Oak Park, Shelburne Co. in 1938, and in 1944 came to Halifax, residing there until now. She worked at the Acadian Grill, T. Eaton Company, Maritime Photo Engravers as a photostat operator, and Moirs for over 21 years, taking an early retirement in 1975 as a lab technician. She was a staunch monarchist and took a keen interest in politics, and had many hobbies, some of which were gardening, knitting, and scrapbooks. She is survived by nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by long-time dear friend, Sadie Smeltzer; brother Eugene, and sisters, Benedict LeFeve, Naomi Hattie, Bernadette Dukeshire and Phyllis Muise. Resting at Cruikshank's Halifax Funeral Home, Robie Street, with visitation to take place today from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. The funeral service will also take place in Cruikshank's on Saturday, September 8, at 10 a.m. Interment will be in Northwest Cemetery, Mahone Bay, in the Smeltzer plot. Donations in her memory may be made to the Parker Street Food Bank, Bide-A-While Animal Shelter and Northwest Cemetery. We are very sad to have to say goodbye to a very dear neighbour, a true friend, and one who became as family to the few she allowed close to her. Marguerite was one of a kind. She was an individual who valued her independence; who remained strong in mind and spirit, if not in body, until the end; and who even wrote her own obituary printed above. Always her own person, she was a woman with intelligence, an extreme love of animals, a very, very great determination, and a sharp sense of humour. By keeping her needs simple and few, she was always able to provide for herself, and was content to derive daily satisfaction from a freshly swept sidewalk, and pleasure from the visits of the neighbourhood pets. From her chair in her front room, she kept track of the world through her daily newspaper and her beloved news programs, and kept a watchful eye on the street and her neighbours through her bay windows. One who was never shy to speak her mind, she was silent about her own many good deeds, which included knitting hundreds of pairs of mittens over the years for the Parker Street Food Bank, providing ongoing donations to animal causes and other charities, and even personally contacting private individuals dealing with hard times to offer her concern and financial support. She closely followed the political scene, was proud to have always cast her own vote in every election, and encouraged others to be involved in their own ways. Since the 40's, she had documented significant world and local events of all types in her many scrapbooks, often sent letters to the editor, and no newspaper had ever been recycled without clippings and articles of interest removed. Marguerite loved music, taught herself to play the organ, and still had a fine singing voice, joining in on her own Happy Birthday songs until the end. The neighbourhood will never be the same again, and the world is now a lesser place without her. We will truly miss her. ~ Donna and Lance

Contributor: Sue-Anne Davis