It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of retired ARIDO member Katherine Burke, who passed away Nov. 18 after a year and a half spent battling illness. She had just had a visit from her family and was comfortable and at peace. She leaves behind her loving husband and travelling companion, Bob Knott.
Burke was a Ryerson interior design graduate and principal of Katherine Burke Design Consultant, a residential design firm in Toronto specializing in the design of private residences and condominium common spaces. She gave back to the community by serving on the board of NCIDQ and coordinated the jury centres in Toronto for many years, as well as developing and teaching a course on the history of interior design for landscape architecture students at the University of Guelph.
For the past 26 years, Burke was also involved with the 12 Trees of Christmas at the Gardiner Museum. This is the first year that she could not participate, and she is greatly missed by the designers and Gardiner staff associated with the event. She was a valued member of the interior design community and well loved by her peers and her friends.
A service and celebration of Burke’s life will be held on Sat., Nov. 22, at the Rosar Morrison Funeral home, 467 Sherbourne St., Toronto. There will be a visitation from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., followed by a Celebration Service, lunch and wine – Katherine would have insisted on wine afterwards.
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