Helmut Gottfried Burke

April 10, 1945 – September 2, 2015

It is with great sadness that the family announces the passing of Helmut Gottfried Burke on September 2nd, 2015, after over two years of treatments for brain cancer. The love of his life and wife of 15 years, Trudy David, was by his side. Helmut was very happy to be adopted into the David family in 2000 and will be deeply missed by his daughters, Téana, Chantal (Mike), and sons, Nigel (Danielle), and Julian (Nicole). In addition to his wife, children and grandchildren, Helmut is mourned by his brothers Reinhard (Patricia), Holger (Judy), sister Elke (Herb), nieces, nephews, relatives in Germany and many dear friends.

Helmut was a loving grandfather and had many fun times doing sports with granddaughter Bella, and grandsons Tyler, Dylan and Kaelin. He coached his grandsons’ school basketball teams where he encouraged a raucous high energy freelance-style play, often accompanied by hip-hop music, and was known for rewarding proper shooting technique with donuts and T-shirts.

Helmut was born on April 10th, 1945 in Bönebuttel, Germany, a small farming village on the outskirts of Kiel, while the last of the Allied World War II bombs were falling. In 1952, his father John took the family to Canada where he worked as a masonry contractor in the Kamloops area, with Helmut as his handyman helper. Helmut’s mother Elisabeth was known for her beautiful soprano voice and her award-winning riverside garden.

Helmut’s lifelong joy of music was inspired by his father, who led the Christian school’s orchestra in Vernon and played in the Okanagan Symphony. Helmut and his father especially enjoyed the symphonic choruses, chilling fanfares, and choral masterpieces of Mozart, Beethoven, and Handel. In addition to playing the trombone, tenor banjo, and guitar as a youth, Helmut sang in two local choirs: Soundings, The Gettin’ Higher Choir, and at The Victoria Conservatory.

Amongst the many passions that they shared, Helmut and Trudy had a love of nature. They spent many fun times at their cottage on Cortes Island, often with close friends and family, where they enjoyed kayaking in the bioluminescence of Manson’s Lagoon, and on the warm beaches of northwest Costa Rica, where they would surf and explore. Helmut and Trudy also shared a love of classical music and were thrilled to go on a European opera tour in 2014 to Vienna, Budapest, Bratislava and Prague.

Helmut received a degree in Chemical Engineering (1967), and MBA (1971), from UBC. He also studied education and taught at three colleges and two high schools in B.C. Encouraged by professor Dr. Faith Collins, he helped develop, and taught the on-line course “Hazardous Waste Management” at the University of Victoria.

Helmut started his career at Reichhold Chemicals making adhesives, paper coatings, paints and fibreglass resins. While working at Chemetics International, he became a specialist in pulp mill odour control and completed more than two dozen projects at pulp mills internationally. He was also part of the design team for the first pulp mill in the world to operate with 100% recycled water, at Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan.

In 1975 Helmut started his own consulting engineering firm and spent 50 years in chemical, environmental and international marketing consulting. He became interested in Buddhism and, hoping to incorporate mindfulness into his work exchanges, spent time meditating in monasteries in Nara, Japan and Seoul, Korea while on business. For the past 10 years, he focused on different aspects of the mining industry in B.C.

As rewarding as his career was, Helmut’s true joy was finding Trudy, her children and grandchildren, with whom he could share his life, and give the gift of unconditional love and encouragement.

The family wishes to thank Dr. John Sun, and Dr. Andrew Attwell and the other medical professionals at the B.C. Cancer Clinic whose great care allowed Helmut to enjoy life with his family for more than two years after his diagnosis. With the help of the Victoria Hospice, Island Health staff, and The Red Cross, he was able to end his life peacefully at home.

A memorial service will be held at McCall’s Funeral Home, Vancouver and Johnson Streets on Sunday, October 4th at 2:00 pm.

Condolences may be offered to the family below.

McCall Bros. Funeral Home
www.mccallbros.com.

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