Clara Kathryn (Berke) Bullen of Calgary passed away peacefully in Calgary at the age of 97. Clara is survived by her sister-in-law Sheila Berke of Hanna; nephews, Frank (Wendy) Berke of Long Island, Bahamas, Craig (Mary Jean) Berke of McLeese Lake, B.C., Jim Berke, and Bill Berke of Edmonton; nieces, Loretta (George) McDonald and Maureen (Reg) Cory of Hanna; and many great-nieces and nephews. She will also be missed by her fortunate friends, Anne (Gordon) Rycroft, Barry, Jean, Gary (Ferne) and Rod MacDonald. Clara was predeceased by her husband Ted Bullen, her Mother and Father, Clara and Frank Berke of Calgary, plus her younger Brothers, Frank Berke, William Berke, Herbert Berke, and younger Sister, Dorothy (Berke) Leonard.
Clara was born in Boston, Massachusetts, USA on February 9, 1909. She came west to a very young booming Calgary, by railway with her parents, grandfather, and brother Herb in 1913. They lived in Calgary (Burnsland), for several years, attending the first St. Mary's Church. They moved to Markerville, Alberta, where the family farmed in the frontier for a few years. Missing the conveniences of a town, they returned back to Calgary (Killarney) where Clara lived at home with her family until she was married. Clara attended St. Mary's school where she graduated on the honor roll. The family were long-time parishioners of Sacred Heart Church. It was wonderful to learn first-hand of early Alberta and Calgary's history right through all the decades of many changes. Clara started her career as a stenographer, after attending Business College. As a young woman she went to live with relatives in Boston, where she worked for almost a year. Missing her family, she returned to her beloved Calgary. Clara worked at Eaton's Department Store in the downtown Calgary store for thirty years. She was more than a going concern, seldom walking, always running, never short of energy! She became the first Woman Manager for Eaton's in the Dominion of Canada, heading the Ladies Ready To Wear Department. She was the buyer in New York for Ladies Fashions for many, many years. Clara's couture always found the finest of fabrics for her own impeccable collection of fashionable clothes.
Clara loved to travel, and during one trip to Hawaii, by steamship, she met Edward H. Bullen (descendent of Anne Boleyn) to whom she married nine years later in 1961 at the age of fifty-two. Sadly, their marriage was brief, as Ted passed away two years later. They had spent a lavish year in Europe for their honeymoon. Clara and Ted shopped all over Europe, shipping back collections for their home. Ted was from Petrolia, Ontario, where Clara enjoyed spending the summers, enjoying many friends, for decades after Ted's passing. Clara continued on, taking care of her parents and her handicapped younger Brother, William (Billy) Berke.
Clara had many varied interests from collecting fine antiques, figurines, silver and china dinnerware, to acting, not to mention her love of travel, and being a long-standing member of Earl Grey Golf and Country Club, The Betty Mitchell Theater Group, plus numerous Bridge Clubs. Her real love was people. Clara had a world of friends going right back to grade school, most of whom have predeceased her. Clara was a beautiful cook and entertainer, setting the most inspiring elegant dinner tables one could imagine. The large dinners for family and friends are still legendary! We all will miss her bright smiling face, and the wonderful stories of her brilliant life. Clara simply made the world a more beautiful, happy place.
A Funeral Mass was Celebrated on Friday, November 24, 2006 at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church.
From obituary published in the Calgary Herald on 11/22/2006.
*LInks to parents kindly provided by Calgary Helpers (48216210)
Clara was born in Boston, Massachusetts, USA on February 9, 1909. She came west to a very young booming Calgary, by railway with her parents, grandfather, and brother Herb in 1913. They lived in Calgary (Burnsland), for several years, attending the first St. Mary's Church. They moved to Markerville, Alberta, where the family farmed in the frontier for a few years. Missing the conveniences of a town, they returned back to Calgary (Killarney) where Clara lived at home with her family until she was married. Clara attended St. Mary's school where she graduated on the honor roll. The family were long-time parishioners of Sacred Heart Church. It was wonderful to learn first-hand of early Alberta and Calgary's history right through all the decades of many changes. Clara started her career as a stenographer, after attending Business College. As a young woman she went to live with relatives in Boston, where she worked for almost a year. Missing her family, she returned to her beloved Calgary. Clara worked at Eaton's Department Store in the downtown Calgary store for thirty years. She was more than a going concern, seldom walking, always running, never short of energy! She became the first Woman Manager for Eaton's in the Dominion of Canada, heading the Ladies Ready To Wear Department. She was the buyer in New York for Ladies Fashions for many, many years. Clara's couture always found the finest of fabrics for her own impeccable collection of fashionable clothes.
Clara loved to travel, and during one trip to Hawaii, by steamship, she met Edward H. Bullen (descendent of Anne Boleyn) to whom she married nine years later in 1961 at the age of fifty-two. Sadly, their marriage was brief, as Ted passed away two years later. They had spent a lavish year in Europe for their honeymoon. Clara and Ted shopped all over Europe, shipping back collections for their home. Ted was from Petrolia, Ontario, where Clara enjoyed spending the summers, enjoying many friends, for decades after Ted's passing. Clara continued on, taking care of her parents and her handicapped younger Brother, William (Billy) Berke.
Clara had many varied interests from collecting fine antiques, figurines, silver and china dinnerware, to acting, not to mention her love of travel, and being a long-standing member of Earl Grey Golf and Country Club, The Betty Mitchell Theater Group, plus numerous Bridge Clubs. Her real love was people. Clara had a world of friends going right back to grade school, most of whom have predeceased her. Clara was a beautiful cook and entertainer, setting the most inspiring elegant dinner tables one could imagine. The large dinners for family and friends are still legendary! We all will miss her bright smiling face, and the wonderful stories of her brilliant life. Clara simply made the world a more beautiful, happy place.
A Funeral Mass was Celebrated on Friday, November 24, 2006 at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church.
From obituary published in the Calgary Herald on 11/22/2006.
*LInks to parents kindly provided by Calgary Helpers (48216210)
Clara Kathryn (Berke) Bullen of Calgary passed away peacefully in Calgary at the age of 97. Clara is survived by her sister-in-law Sheila Berke of Hanna; nephews, Frank (Wendy) Berke of Long Island, Bahamas, Craig (Mary Jean) Berke of McLeese Lake, B.C., Jim Berke, and Bill Berke of Edmonton; nieces, Loretta (George) McDonald and Maureen (Reg) Cory of Hanna; and many great-nieces and nephews. She will also be missed by her fortunate friends, Anne (Gordon) Rycroft, Barry, Jean, Gary (Ferne) and Rod MacDonald. Clara was predeceased by her husband Ted Bullen, her Mother and Father, Clara and Frank Berke of Calgary, plus her younger Brothers, Frank Berke, William Berke, Herbert Berke, and younger Sister, Dorothy (Berke) Leonard.
Clara was born in Boston, Massachusetts, USA on February 9, 1909. She came west to a very young booming Calgary, by railway with her parents, grandfather, and brother Herb in 1913. They lived in Calgary (Burnsland), for several years, attending the first St. Mary's Church. They moved to Markerville, Alberta, where the family farmed in the frontier for a few years. Missing the conveniences of a town, they returned back to Calgary (Killarney) where Clara lived at home with her family until she was married. Clara attended St. Mary's school where she graduated on the honor roll. The family were long-time parishioners of Sacred Heart Church. It was wonderful to learn first-hand of early Alberta and Calgary's history right through all the decades of many changes. Clara started her career as a stenographer, after attending Business College. As a young woman she went to live with relatives in Boston, where she worked for almost a year. Missing her family, she returned to her beloved Calgary. Clara worked at Eaton's Department Store in the downtown Calgary store for thirty years. She was more than a going concern, seldom walking, always running, never short of energy! She became the first Woman Manager for Eaton's in the Dominion of Canada, heading the Ladies Ready To Wear Department. She was the buyer in New York for Ladies Fashions for many, many years. Clara's couture always found the finest of fabrics for her own impeccable collection of fashionable clothes.
Clara loved to travel, and during one trip to Hawaii, by steamship, she met Edward H. Bullen (descendent of Anne Boleyn) to whom she married nine years later in 1961 at the age of fifty-two. Sadly, their marriage was brief, as Ted passed away two years later. They had spent a lavish year in Europe for their honeymoon. Clara and Ted shopped all over Europe, shipping back collections for their home. Ted was from Petrolia, Ontario, where Clara enjoyed spending the summers, enjoying many friends, for decades after Ted's passing. Clara continued on, taking care of her parents and her handicapped younger Brother, William (Billy) Berke.
Clara had many varied interests from collecting fine antiques, figurines, silver and china dinnerware, to acting, not to mention her love of travel, and being a long-standing member of Earl Grey Golf and Country Club, The Betty Mitchell Theater Group, plus numerous Bridge Clubs. Her real love was people. Clara had a world of friends going right back to grade school, most of whom have predeceased her. Clara was a beautiful cook and entertainer, setting the most inspiring elegant dinner tables one could imagine. The large dinners for family and friends are still legendary! We all will miss her bright smiling face, and the wonderful stories of her brilliant life. Clara simply made the world a more beautiful, happy place.
A Funeral Mass was Celebrated on Friday, November 24, 2006 at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church.
From obituary published in the Calgary Herald on 11/22/2006.
*LInks to parents kindly provided by Calgary Helpers (48216210)
Clara was born in Boston, Massachusetts, USA on February 9, 1909. She came west to a very young booming Calgary, by railway with her parents, grandfather, and brother Herb in 1913. They lived in Calgary (Burnsland), for several years, attending the first St. Mary's Church. They moved to Markerville, Alberta, where the family farmed in the frontier for a few years. Missing the conveniences of a town, they returned back to Calgary (Killarney) where Clara lived at home with her family until she was married. Clara attended St. Mary's school where she graduated on the honor roll. The family were long-time parishioners of Sacred Heart Church. It was wonderful to learn first-hand of early Alberta and Calgary's history right through all the decades of many changes. Clara started her career as a stenographer, after attending Business College. As a young woman she went to live with relatives in Boston, where she worked for almost a year. Missing her family, she returned to her beloved Calgary. Clara worked at Eaton's Department Store in the downtown Calgary store for thirty years. She was more than a going concern, seldom walking, always running, never short of energy! She became the first Woman Manager for Eaton's in the Dominion of Canada, heading the Ladies Ready To Wear Department. She was the buyer in New York for Ladies Fashions for many, many years. Clara's couture always found the finest of fabrics for her own impeccable collection of fashionable clothes.
Clara loved to travel, and during one trip to Hawaii, by steamship, she met Edward H. Bullen (descendent of Anne Boleyn) to whom she married nine years later in 1961 at the age of fifty-two. Sadly, their marriage was brief, as Ted passed away two years later. They had spent a lavish year in Europe for their honeymoon. Clara and Ted shopped all over Europe, shipping back collections for their home. Ted was from Petrolia, Ontario, where Clara enjoyed spending the summers, enjoying many friends, for decades after Ted's passing. Clara continued on, taking care of her parents and her handicapped younger Brother, William (Billy) Berke.
Clara had many varied interests from collecting fine antiques, figurines, silver and china dinnerware, to acting, not to mention her love of travel, and being a long-standing member of Earl Grey Golf and Country Club, The Betty Mitchell Theater Group, plus numerous Bridge Clubs. Her real love was people. Clara had a world of friends going right back to grade school, most of whom have predeceased her. Clara was a beautiful cook and entertainer, setting the most inspiring elegant dinner tables one could imagine. The large dinners for family and friends are still legendary! We all will miss her bright smiling face, and the wonderful stories of her brilliant life. Clara simply made the world a more beautiful, happy place.
A Funeral Mass was Celebrated on Friday, November 24, 2006 at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church.
From obituary published in the Calgary Herald on 11/22/2006.
*LInks to parents kindly provided by Calgary Helpers (48216210)
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