August 20, 2020
We are saddened to announce the passing of our mother and matriarch, Elizabeth Angela Burch, nee Porcellato, on August 20, 2020. Mom was born in March, 1931, in Loria, Treviso, Italy. She and her two brothers were raised by her mother in Italy until she was five. The family then moved back to Trail, British Columbia to join her father. During high school she and our father met, and she moved to Vancouver to attend Normal School after she graduated, where our father was already attending UBC. They married in Vancouver on August 24, 1951. She taught school at Sheep Creek, on the old Cascade Highway between Christina Lake and Rossland, for four months and then worked in Trail while our father earned his Master's Degree in Forestry in Syracuse, New York. They then lived in Port Alberni, Burnaby, Kelowna, Vancouver (several times), Aberdeen, Washington, Nelson, Grand Forks, and Calgary, while raising five children. Mom finally came back to Grand Forks in 1991, where she remained until her death in the community she loved. She always considered their property at Christina Lake to be her true family home and spent as much time there as possible. We were grateful that Mom got to spend her last summer here at the lake, surrounded by her family. She was looking forward to the future, making plans for improvements for the Lake property and retained her loving, feisty nature until the end.
She was predeceased by her parents, Attilio and Guiseppina Porcellato, her husband Jack Burch and her two brothers Francisco and Guiseppe.
She is survived by her children Betty Ann Xenis (Doug) of Summerland, B.C., Jerry (Renee) of White Rock, B.C., Jim (Lynne) of Grand Forks, B.C., Alan, of Nelson, B.C. and Sylvia, of Grand Forks, B.C.; her grandchildren Heather, Robyn, Tyson, Lindsay, Kelly, David, Madeline, Kara, Elena and Sophia; step-grandchildren Tania and Dax; great-grandchildren Carter, Bowen, Grace, Bella, Zinhle, Briana, Raya, Aiden, Mya, Leia, Cohen, and step-great-grandchildren Sam and Danny; her brother Peter, her sister Theresa McLean (Lorne), her brother-in-law Gerald; and many nieces and nephews.
She was a devout member of the Sacred Heart Parish in Grand Forks and lived her whole life by her Roman Catholic faith until her passing peacefully in the arms of our Lord.
Her funeral mass will be held Saturday, September 5th, 2020 at Sacred Heart Church in Grand Forks, B.C. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, only the members of her immediate family will be present. Internment will follow at the Evergreen Cemetery in Grand Forks, beside her husband Jack. The family is planning a Celebration of Life in the summer of 2021 at the family property at Christina Lake, where we hope we can welcome all of her family and friends.
The family would like to thank Dr. Robert Lewis and the staff at Boundary Hospital for their care of our mother.
In lieu of flowers, the family request any donations you care to make to be sent to the B.C. Cancer Society.