Obituary of Leonard Frederick Burkitt

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the sudden passing of Len on the early morning of Tuesday, March 14, 2023.

He passed away at the age of 83 in the Invermere District Hospital after a brief battle with lung cancer.

He is survived by his partner of 29 years, Helen Mitchell, his sisters Kay Griffin of Christopher Lake, Sask., Ethel Patterson of Hamilton Bermuda, his sister-in-law Carla Burkitt of Cochrane AB and his children Cindy Olson (Larry), David Burkitt and Michael Ryan (Cherilea) as well as many grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by his parents Marguerite and Frederick, his brother, Jack, and his son, Bruce.

Len was born and raised in Prince Albert, SK. where he attended school, worked at the family business (Burkitt's Flowers) in the greenhouses, and enjoyed spending summers at the family cabin in Emma Lake. 

He later moved to Lake Louise where was the head gardener at the Chateau. After that, he moved to Calgary where he worked with the Alberta Government as a Maintenance Service worker for 25 years at the John J. Bowlen Building and the McDougal Centre until his retirement in 2006.

Len and Helen got together in 1994 and enjoyed cruising, square dancing, and travelling in their motorhome to Alaska, Arizona and Mexico. In 2010, they settled in Invermere where he enjoyed tending to the gardens, feeding the birds, and hazing the deer that came onto the property.

Those close to him will remember Len for his storytelling, sense of humor, and sharp memory of poems and songs he had learned years ago. Len will be dearly missed by his family and friends, including those who walked alongside him through the 12 steps over the last 55 years.

Len wished for his ashes to be returned to the beautiful nature of British Columbia. A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date, to be determined.