Ina Mae Gertrude (Fraser) Burk

After 84 relatively maintenance free years, our family is saddened by the passing of our Mom, Sister, Grandmother, Great Grandmother and Aunt. Ina Mae Gertrude (Fraser) Burk passed away in Ottawa Ontario on Wednesday, May 19, 2021. Ina Mae passed away after a brief battle with an aggressive form of cancer.

Ina Mae was predeceased in 1984 by the love of her life, A. Walter (Wally) Burk. She is survived by her daughter Wendy (Doug Burns) of Ottawa, and son Bruce (Cheryl), their children Adam and Samantha, of Alvinston, ON. Special grandsons, and her two most favourite fellas, Jason Burk (Danielle Rousseau), and only great grandson Tripp of Fort Frances ON and Aidan Burk of Ottawa, will miss her dearly. Also survived by special sister Fran (Ron) Dubeau of Ottawa and sister Sheila Goheen of Lumby, BC and six nephews, special nephew David (Rosa) Copeman of Baldwin, NY, and niece Laurie (David) Linkletter of Miller Place, NY. Predeceased by brother Brian Fraser of Surrey, BC.

Ina Mae was born and raised in Sudbury and Chapleau ON. She left her childhood home at 18 and ventured off to Toronto to attend teacher's college. Upon completion, she was assigned to teach in a one room schoolhouse in the remote logging community of Ramsay, ON. It was here where she would meet the love of her life, Wally.

Married on July 6th, 1957 in Chapleau, Ina Mae and Wally would live in Ramsay for several years, where they would meet and make lifelong friends, and start their family. Wally would affectionately refer to Ina Mae as 'Tiny Iny', a nod to their substantial difference in heights. Relocating to Espanola in the mid 1960's due to Wally's continuing health challenges, they would enjoy several years there together as a family. They enjoyed curling and downhill skiing during the winters, and going to their cottage on Birch Lake, camping in their camper and motorhome throughout Canada and the USA during the summers, with many friends and extended family. Many memories were made, many group ski trips were had. The most cherished of memories made with special friends Arnold and Gail Sutton of Kelowna, BC during their times together at Big White Ski Resort in Kelowna and traveling the Western Provinces with their 2 families.

In 1977, Ina Mae the brave decision to enroll at Laurention University in Sudbury as a mature student. She would go on to study hard over the course of the next 4 years, commuting daily from Espanola to Sudbury, while still having a young family at home. It would all be worth it when, in 1981, Ina Mae would graduate with distinction, with her Honours Bachelor of Commerce. Ina Mae would work at various accounting positions over the next few years. Eventually, she became the Clerk Treasurer of the Township of Baldwin. She finished off her career at Laurention University in the Geomechanics Research Centre as an Executive Assistant.

Retiring in the late 90's, and with no family left in Northern Ontario, Ina Mae made the decision to move to Ottawa in order to be closer to her sister Fran, her daughter Wendy and her sister-in-law Loey (Burk) Copeman in Morristown, NY. Ina Mae would move into the Ambleside II community, where she would reside for the next 21 years. Many special friendships would be made during her happy years here and she enjoyed the active social life that it brought her -line dancing, BBQ's, trips, theatre outings, knitting group and coffee chats, just to name a few. Special friendships were made, with none dearer to her than the bond she shared with Betty (Ken) Goode, now of Markham, ON. She was also able to be involved heavily in her grandson Aidan's life from being present at his birth, to volunteering at his school's various events, to taking many special trips with him during his teen years. Ina Mae was an avid traveler and was able to take many domestic and international trips with friends and family over the years. The memories made during these trips were very dear to her, with some of her more recent trips, like that with her

daughter and grandson Aidan to Washington, DC in the summer of 2017, a trip to Kelowna BC in the fall of 2018 for what turned out to be a mini family reunion, and a trip in the fall of 2020 with her daughter to Fort Frances to meet her first and only great grandson, being of special importance to her.

Ina Mae lived a full life. Enjoying as much as life had to offer her as she could. She was a brave, spitfire of a woman, who was never content to settle. She will be deeply missed in the lives of all that knew and loved her.

Tiny Iny will be laid to rest, in a private family ceremony later this year, where her one true love Wally has been patiently waiting for her, in Espanola, ON. Red boots and all!

No flowers please. In lieu of, please make donations in her name to the Canadian Cancer Society or the Canadian Diabetes Foundation.

Ah Shit!Shit!Shit!