Deirdre Burch

Deirdre Burch

(1924 – 2017)

Deirdre, staff worker of Madonna House, died peacefully on April 9, 2017 in Our Lady of the Visitation, Madonna House, Combermere

Deirdre, daughter of Philip and Mary Zita (nee MacKenzie) was born in Meervt, India, and was raised in Ireland and England.  She studied nursing at Kings College Hospital in London and later trained as a midwife and as a district nurse as well as working in Cheshire Home for the Sick and Disabled. 

In 1960 she came to Canada with her sister, working for a time in the Hamilton General Hospital before coming to Madonna House and making her first promises in 1961.

 She had a greatly varied apostolic experience in Madonna House.  Aside from Public Health Nursing and other services in Renfrew County, she served in Madonna House mission houses in the West Indies and in Catacamas, Honduras.  Later, she was sent as a lone apostle to La Loche in northern Saskatchewan, serving the First Nation peoples there.  

During her fifty-six years in Madonna House, she also nursed members of the community, accompanying many of the Madonna House sick and dying, including the foundress, Catherine Doherty.  

Besides nursing, Deirdre also studied and worked in herbology, and worked many years in St. Raphael’s handicraft Centre, painting items to be sold in the gift shop, raising funds for overseas missions.  

Deirdre was predeceased by her parents and her sister, Philida (Mrs. Al Zadnik).  Besides her Madonna House family, she is survived by her brother, Peter, and several nieces and nephews.  

Wake services for Deirdre were held Sunday, April 9, at Madonna House, St. Mary’s Chapel.   A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Monday, April 10, at St. Mary’s Chapel with internment at the Madonna House cemetery.   

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